Under the Same Moon
by Shikyokage742
Summary: An Irish girl ends up in the Naruto universe not knowing anything about the show. Now she must try and stay alive against a band of rouge ninjas, and a mysterious force of nature, all while trying to help a poor boy who knows nothing but hate. Gaara/OC
1. That One Looks Like a Hourglass

_That one looks like a hourglass..._

It was cool that afternoon. To anyone walking in the park they never would have seen the old trail. It was overgrown with shrubs and other foliage. Even if they did know where it was, they would have avoided it. People tend to avoid and eventually forget where tragedy has happened...

About five years ago, a little boy wandered off and went missing for maybe a week or so. Canine units followed his scent only for it to be lost as if he just vanished. Three days later they found the poor boy's mutilated body exactly where they lost his scent trail. Police never could explain it. They didn't have any suspects... Autopsy was gruesome. The child was tortured before death. A funeral was held. The park was named after the boy, with a new playground built in a more open field, closer to the town. Parents never spoke of what occurred. They avoided the old playground. Soon people altogether forgot. Leaving it to the trees and wild. Leaving it abandoned.

Save for one girl...

Lying on a platform high in a tree, she stared up at the clouds. She came here for peace and solitude from her normally hectic, and crowded life. A decrepit swing set creaked in the light breeze. All around the "abandoned" playground lay stacks of lumber, tins of nails and screws, plastic tarps, and other building materials. It looked like a construction crew left all there tools around. In reality they all belonged to the girl.

The girl came across the playground by accident while looking for a a shortcut home from school. She instantly fell in love with the decaying wooden place, vowing to restore it. So for a year she would smuggle what she could from her grandfathers shed and began to fix up the old place. On a normal day she would be working in a careful frenzy, measuring, sawing, nailing, stapling, but today she didn't feel motivated as usual. Instead she grabbed her ladder climbing it to the highest branch she could and constructed a small platform to lay on high in the tree. Laying on her back facing the sky she succumbed to the lull of the breeze and rustling of the trees about her. Falling ever deeper in to the tranquility of sleep she lazily thought to herself as she stared up into the sky...

_ 'That cloud look like a hourglass...'_

The girl woke up with a start. It was oddly quiet, save for the wind blowing much harder then it had been earlier. The sky was darkening quickly. Climbing down the ladder, the girl pick up her messenger bag and began the twenty minute trek home. Clambering over rocks and felled logs she made it home with minor injury. Just a few scrapes on her hands and a small rip in her jeans. Hopping the low fence surrounding her backyard she could already smell the traditional Chinese take-out from the kitchen.

Slipping in, she set her messenger bag on the ground and noticed an elderly man sitting at the kitchen dinette. He had a mug of some steaming liquid and was reading the paper with mild interest.

"So you finally decide to join the civilized world I see." the man stated without looking up from paper. His thick Irish accent was thicker than his grey beard

"Well we all can't be agoraphobic." The girl bit back leaning down to give the old man a tight hug.

"You know eventually I'll find out where all my my lumber went, Pip" the old mans eyes twinkled as he ruffled the girls long ginger hair.

"I haven't the slightest idea as to what your talking about, Kip" the girl affectionately named Pip, feigned a look of innocence sitting in the chair next to Kip.

Laughing heartily at his granddaughters antics, Kip placed the paper down on the table and reached for his mug of tea only to have it stolen from his finger tips. Pip looked over the mug as she sipped the peppermint tea. Pip sighed in content as the strangely cooling, yet hot liquid slid down her throat.

"So, what are you gonna do today?" Pip asked setting the mug back in front of her grandfather. Kip gave a disgruntled look at the near empty mug. Grumbling to himself about irritating teens. Pip had to ask again to get an answer from the old man.

"I'm going to talk to your grandmother..."

Pip instantly stood up and started for the stove. "Ill make you some tea and something to eat." instantly regretting messing with him, but Kip merely waved her off.

"It's all right, don't get your panties in a twist. There's chinese in the microwave," The old man stood from the table, leaving his paper forlorn and forgotten "And the water in the teapot on the stove should still be hot if you want to make some more tea. You seemed to have enjoyed mine!" He chuckled, showing he wasn't mad. Pip still felt bad.

"I'll make you a mug for tomorrow. It's good when its cold." Pip still felt bad. It must have showed.

"Ainfean...," Pip groaned at the sound of her real name (pronounced AWN fyun) "Stop. It's not like every little thing is going to make me snap. And I'm sure your grandmother won't mind. Now go upstairs and do whatever it is Pips do, alright?" Pip nodded to her grandfather. Pip grabbed the bag with the Styrofoam containers, chopsticks and fork and headed for the door.

"G'night, Kip." she kissed his cheek as she passed him.

"Goodnight."

Kip sat on his bed, facing his beloved wife. Lighting a candle he took a deep breath and smiled.

"She's a lot like her father, quick with a joke, can spin a fine tale, always with the come backs. I see it more and more everyday. But shes like her mother too. Always ready to help and nurture... Sometimes it's hard to look at, other times it's refreshing. But she looks just like you..." Kip lied on the bed and closed his eyes.

" It just seems too odd. To lose two people and see them in a single person... I don't know." Kip turned to face his wife. "I miss them everyday. She a constant reminder of our son and his wife" Sitting up he blew out the candle and kissed the top of the urn's lid

"A constant reminder of you..." With that Kip lied down and fell asleep next to his deceased wife's ashes.

Going up the stairs, Pip made her way to her room. It was the attic but Pip remodeled into her own sanctuary. As for her old room, it became the "home gym". Going to the end of the hall she opened a door to yet another flight of stair that led up to another door that, when opened, led to her room. She had modeled it after the tent Erik, otherwise known as the Phantom of the Opera, in Susan Kay's Phantom, first meets Nadir Khan, the Daroga of Persia. There were deep red curtains hanging on the walls and deep red shag carpet on the ground. In the corner was a large pile of pillows instead of a bed. The window was to the west so she could see the finale rays of the sun setting below the trees.

Pip set the bag of food on her dark cherry oak desk and opened her window, letting the cool breeze flow through the room. Sliding into the chair for her desk she pulled out one container, the smell of lo mein seeping from it. Opening it she took a bite while searching for her messenger bag that had laptop. Remembering she left it in the kitchen she left the room to retrieve it.

Upon returning up the flight of stairs leading to her room, Pip heard a slight scratching noise. Thinking nothing of it she entered and sat at the desk. Pulling out her laptop and turning it on, she reached for her lo mein only to have her fork scrape wood. Pip furrowed her brow and looked in the bag. There was the soup, and the other container that had bourbon chicken... Where was her lo mein?

Standing, she scanned her room. There was a small trail of noodles leading to her "bed". Walking slowly toward it she began to pull the pillow away. That's when she saw it. A little raccoon. A scrawny little thing. As soon as she removed the pillow it was hiding under, it quickly scampered under more, dragging the lo mein with it. Pip snorted at it's antic and knelt down to get a better look. It looked very underfed. The raccoon popped its head from under the pillow to get a better look at Pip. Staring at her intently it reached it's paw from under the pillow and nibbled on another piece of noodle. Laughing Pip reached out her hand to the little raccoon, slowly reaching towards it. The raccoon stopped chewing and sat up, causing the pillow it was under to fall.

Standing on its hind legs, it grabbed Pips hand and pulled it down, effectively hugging her hand to its chest and started to lick her hand. Pip pulled her hand away from the little raccoon and attempted to picked him up. Not used to being handled in such a way the little raccoon squirmed out of her arms and clambered up her pant leg to her shirt coming to a rest at her shoulder. Pip stood in shock. _'Does it have no fear?'_ Pip thought to herself craning her neck to look at the little bandit. Perched there it began to play with her hair, ruffling it and causing havoc to her once straight hair. Sighing, Pip tried again to detain the little ruffian and succeeded in hugging it close to her chest. Much to her annoyance, it just squirmed and writhed in her grasp but she kept a somewhat firm hold.

Once again heading to the kitchen, she released the raccoon and pulled out a bowl from the cabinet. Filling it with water, she set it on the ground for the raccoon to drink from. Staring at the unnaturally thin creature, she reminded herself to take it to the vet to get the little guy checked out. The raccoon started to wonder at around the dimly lit kitchen, sniffing here and there before finally stopping to drink greedily from the bowl. Pip stared at the raccoon for some time before heading out the back door to the old wooden shed. Stepping over rusty tools and stacks of lumber she pulled an old metal dog crate from underneath an oversized piece of clothe.

Pip frowned while pulling off the sticker from the bars as she walked back to the house that read _'KillEr' _in shaky, child like letters_._ Her old dog. She still remembered finding the old dog at the pound.

_"Kip? When can I get this thing offa my eyes? I wanna see!" a six year old Ainfean whined as only six year olds can do, a brightly colored bandana was tied around her eyes._

_ Kip was leading his granddaughter down a sidewalk. It was a hot August day, and with the heat coupled with the persistent whining of his...beloved granddaughter, he was very nearly to the point of forgetting the whole plan and taking her to get ice cream but the sight of the building looming ahead quelled his frustration slightly._

_ "Ainfean, be patient we're almost there." the Irish man chuckled as the child in his arms huffed at the mention of her birth name._

_ "Ki-i-i-ip! Donn' call me that," the child cried, "i donn' like that name!" Ainfean crossed her arms and attempted to glare at the man carrying her but failed due to the bandana. _

_ "But Ainfean that's your name. And you have to call people by their names." Kip retorted. _'My God I'm arguing with a toddler'_ Kip kept walking to the shelter. He was so close to the building. '_Cold air!_' Kip thought, crying in joy inside his head._

_ "NU-UH!" Ainfean shouted, "Your name is Kyle, but everyone calls ya Kip!" she smiled smugly._

_ Kip sighed loudly__ '_This child will be the death of me.'_'_

_ "Then what do you want to be called?"_

_ Ainfean was silent for a moment before surprising Kip with an unusual answer._

_ "Pip."_

_ "Pip?" Kip stopped before the door of the shelter, stunned by the answer._

_ "Pip."_

_ "Why on Earth would you choose Pip?" Kip chuckled heartily at the child._

_ "'Cause you always sayin' you have great expectations for me, jus' like the book on the shelf." Ainfean answered._

_ "Ainfean, did you read that book?" Kip slipped the bandana off of the girls eyes. She covered them at the sudden blast of light._

_ "Was I not suppose to?" Ainfean lowered her head._

_ "No child, I just didn't know you could read at THAT high a level!" Kip was startled at the revelation of his granddaughter reading __Great Expectations__. "Is that all you've read?"_

_ "No..." Ainfean rubbed her eyes as she spoke, "I read all the books on the shelf." Kip was flabbergasted. Those books were classics. Things read in high school and collage. Shakespeare, Poe, Dickens._ And his granddaughter read them!

_ "Well I guess I was right to have great expectations for you.. Pip." Ainfean perked up at the name and smiled brightly. She hugged her grandfather tightly. "And I think you deserve a reward."_

_ Pip looked at the old man, as he walked through the door of the building. The first thing Pip heard was barking..._

_ "PUPPIES!" Pip jumped out of Kip's hold and rushed to where the barking was coming from._

_All around her were dogs in cages, puppies barking excitedly, jumping up and down for attention. Pip ooh-ed and awe-ed at all the dogs until she came a cage closest to the end of the hall. A lone dog sat in the corner of the cage. A large rottweiler. It just sat there and stared at Pip. Pip started toward the dog, as she did it growled at her but that didn't deter Pip. Sticking her hand through the bars the dog approached her cautiously. Pip stretched as far as she could to pet the massive dog. Finally the dog nudged his head to the girls head allowing her to pet him. Pip enjoyed the moment until there was a shocked cry from behind her and a pair of hands pulling her away from the dog._

_ "Darlin'! You shouldn't be near that beast! He could easily eat a critter like you in a second!" Pip looked at the women. Her southern accent interested Pip, but she was mad from being pulled away from the dog. That same dog was growling and barking at the southern women madly, leaping at the bars of the cage to get to her. The women looked terrified._

_ "What's going on here?" a third voice cried in annoyance. This time a rather... large, balding man stepped from the doors Pip entered along with Kip who looked worried as soon as he saw Pip near the vicious dog._

_ "I caught this youngin' stickin' her hand out fer Killer to munch on!" the women mimed what she was saying to emphasize her point._

_ "Ainfean, is this true?" Kip asked. Pip looked frightened. _'Am I in trouble?' _ she thought._

_ "He didn't bite me! I petted him!" at the comment the fat, balding man snorted_

_ "That... _thing _wouldn't let anything touch him let alone a little girl._"_ The man looked down in disgust at the girl. "No one wants the damned beast so were sending him where all demons go. To hell." he smiled wickedly as Pip eyes welted with tears. Kip started to reprimand the man for using such language in front of his granddaughter, even though his was just as bad as he yelled at him._

_ Pip decided to take matters into her own hands. She ran over to the cage and unlocked it. None of the three adults were paying any attention as the tot walked into the cage and walked over to the large dog, and held her hand out again. The dog growled again but Pip just smiled widely and said,_

_ "I'm not gonna hurt ya'."_

_ The dog walked up slowly again, but instead of letting her pet him he walked up to her and began licking her face. Pip squealed in delight which finally alerted the adults that there was a child in the room._

_ "Oh my..," the southern women put her hands on her hips as the men stared dumbfounded at what was happening._

_ The dog, "Killer", was licking the little girls face and wagging his tail like he was a puppy. Kip shook his head in disbelief as the bald man's jaw dropped._

_ "Kip! Kip, I want him! Please can we keep him?" Pip hugged onto the dogs massive neck while displaying her own set of puppy dog eyes._

_ Kip sighed, knowing the girl had already made her mind. Turning to the bald man he asked if the dog could still be adopted._

_ "Take the damn thing. Save me money by not having to pay to get the demon euthanized. Come to my office and we'll get the papers." The man shot a dirty look to the dog at which the dog growled lowly. Kip beckoned Pip, and Pip, smiling proudly led her new dog along._

_ When all the papers were signed, Kip said his fair well to the bald man, who merely grunted in response. Pip, even though she disliked the man, said thank you to him for allowing her to adopt Killer. The man just glared at the little girl and handed her a leash. Killer growled when the man got close to Pip._

_ "Your going to need it for the beast." the bald man said darkly. Pip finally had enough and kicked the man in the shin._

_ "You're the beast, you meanie!" Pip yelled as she walked out before her grandfather. All Kip could do was try to hold in the laughter as he thought _'There's that Irish spunk!'

Pip sighed as she walked across the dark yard. She missed her dog, but at least he wasn't in pain anymore. A year after she got Killer, he got very ill and when taken to the vet, they confirmed that he had cancer. They estimated that he would only live for a year and a half tops.

Killer lived for two until he finally died sleeping in Pips' doorway.

_'He died still protecting me from nothing...' _Pip faltered as she walked, wiping away tears that threatened to spill. Pip walked into the kitchen and set the cage on the floor. She closed the door and turned the lights on. She wish she didn't.

The kitchen was a disaster! Cabinet doors were open and plates and cups littered the counters. There was water all over the floor from the bowl she had let the raccoon drink from had spilled and her grandfathers' newspaper was torn to pieces. _'I was going to read that!' _Pip thought angrily. Scanning the room for the culprit, she found the raccoon's body sticking out of a box of Peanut Butter Crunch.

"I was going to eat that!" Pip said aloud. The raccoon popped its head out from the box which caused some of its contents to spill out the box and off the fridge to the floor. Pip sighed tiredly,

"And now I got to clean that."

Walking over to the fridge she reached up and grabbed hold of the raccoon. It squirmed and made a grabbing motion for the cereal only to slump in defeat, hanging limp in her arms. Pip did a half laugh at the gesture. _'Funny little guy isn't he?'_ Walking to the cage, she opened it and set the raccoon in. Closing the cage door, she turned and sighed picking up the cups and plates that fell on the counter in the sink. She heard the raccoon chitter, but continued cleaning the mess it made. Grabbing the broom she swept the shredded newspaper and the cereal into a pile then grabbed an old dish towel and dried up as much water as she could. The raccoon chitter louder causing Pip to turn her head to the cage on the floor.

The raccoon was reaching it's arm out the cage towards Pip. Pip inched closer to the little bandit, and crouched in front of it. The raccoon made what sounded like a chitter and grunt and dropped a piece of cereal in front of Pip. Pip scoffed in disbelief, _'It wants to make a bigger mess!' _Pip grabbed the piece of the floor, as she did so the raccoon produced another piece and held it out. Pip cocked and eyebrow and held up her piece. As soon as she did the raccoon ate it's piece and chattered excitedly towards Pip. _'Does... does it want me to eat it?' _

Holding the morsel to her lips the raccoon stared at her expectantly. Pip sighed and popped the food in her mouth. The raccoon made a sound somewhat like a purr and squeal combined held another piece out for Pip.

Swallowing Piped laughed and took it. _'It wants to feed me!' _Eating the other piece, the raccoon purr-squealed again. Pip stood up and filled another bowl with water and set it on the counter. Picking through the pile of paper and cereal, she pulled out all the edible bits and set it in another bowl. Taking the two bowls in hand, she walked over to the cage, unlocked it and set them in the corner. The raccoon practically dove at the food. Pip locked the cage up, turned the light out and walked out the kitchen and up to her room.

Exhausted, she closed her window to prevent anymore intruders into her room, plopped on her pillows, and promptly fell asleep.


	2. Strange Forces Prevail

_Strange Forces Prevail..._

Kip woke up in a very good mood. No back pain from the years of carpentry and construction, no hacking coughs from the years of inhaling sawdust. Granted he was still a little groggy from the pleasantly deep sleep, that didn't lessen his happiness. Slipping on his light blue robe and black slippers, he walked out of the his room and proceeded down the stairs to the kitchen. Opening the fridge he grabbed the carton of orange juice and noticed a little post-it stuck to it.

Pulling it off, he read it while shutting the fridge door. _'Kip, I love you, but if you drink from the carton again I will put liquid laxative in your drinks and food again. Love, Pip.' _Kip sighed, knowing she would make good on the loving threat, set the carton on the black granite counter tops and sleepily padded his way to the where the cups were held. Opening the cabinet, he noticed that there were no cups on the shelves. Sighing again he turned to the dish rack next to the sink and pulled off a cup and went back to his carton of orange juice. Setting the cup down, he opened the fridge only to find no juice. _'That's right, I already took it out...' _

Searching the counter tops, he found no juice at all. Kip could feel his good mood falling fast. Searching through the fridge again, he failed to notice a certain raccoon climb up to the counter top and stare at Kip, the cartoon of juice in his teeth. Sitting down next to the cup, he pulled the stopper of and guzzle a good bit, then burping quite loudly for a little guy.

Kip stopped rummaging through the fridge upon hearing said burp. Retracting his head, he looked over at the raccoon in stoic silence. Standing straight up he looked at the juice in the raccoons hand, then back to the raccoon. The raccoon looked to it's hand. Chittering, it set the juice on the counter and pushed it towards Kip.

Kip blinked a few times, before robotically trudging up the stairs to granddaughters' room. The raccoon hopped down and followed the old Irish man.

Pip was sprawled out on her pillow bed, her maroon blanket tossed to the side during her sleep. She awakened to the harsh sound of knocking at the door. Moaning in displeasure, she rolled over and covered her head with one of the many pillows. When the knocking persisted she sat up and groaned loudly.

"What?" Pip noticed she was still in her clothes from yesterday and really needed a shower. Kip opened the door and looked at her sleepily

"I think we have a visitor." The raccoon shot between Kip's legs and leaped into Pip's lap.

"Why did you let him out of the cage?" Pip petted the raccoon on the head and looked to her grandfather.

"Whats cage? I didn't see a cage. It was just sitting on the counter drinking from the orange juice carton." Kip stepped into the room and sat on the chair next the desk, then added "Are you going to give the poor thing laxatives as well?" Pip laughed loudly, cradling the raccoon in her arms and standing.

"Must have not locked it then I guess. And of course not! It doesn't do it every morning." she gave a pointed look to Kip and headed downstairs. Kip stood and followed.

"Hardly fair in my book. Where'd you find him?"

"He snuck in through my window last night, I guess. I'm taking it to the vet today before releasing him back into the forest. He's really scrawny, maybe he's sick." The raccoon nuzzled into Pips arms and yawned. Pip walked into the kitchen and set the little escape artist back in the cage. The raccoon made a noise of what may have been irritation, but just yawned again, curled into a ball and went to sleep. Kip, finally feeling awake surveyed the kitchen. There was a pile of shredded paper by the table, and it seemed every cup and plate was in the sink. Grabbing the orange juice that the raccoon left on the counter, he poured it down the drain. _'Raccoon backwash... Ew.' _Sitting the carton on the counter he set off to make some Irish breakfast tea.

Pip grabbed the bowl in the cage and filled it with fresh water. Double checking to make sure she locked the door, she walked into the living room and grabbed the phonebook and searched the yellow pages for a local vet. Finding one she grabbed the cordless phone and dialed the number.

_"Patriotic Pets Veterinary , This is Amy speaking." _the voice over the phone said.

"Hi, I'm calling to make an appointment."

_"Uh-huh, what is your name, and middle initial?"_

"Ainfean Kearney, A-I-N-F-E-A-N, K-E-A-R-N-E-Y. Middle initial is B. "

_"Well, that's an interesting name, what is it?"_

"Irish" Pip said proudly.

"_I like it, very exotic. What is the animal?" _Pip hesitated in answering.

"It's a raccoon..." there was a moment of silence until she faintly heard the women asking if they treated raccoons.

_"M'kay and what's its name?" 'Oh no, I don't have a name for him!' _Trying to think of a name for him, she thought of the bath and tea garden resort she went to last summer.

"Chozu! It's name is Chozu."

_"Alrighty then, we had a cancellation today at 9:45 so its open, for Dr. Calvin, if that's good for you?" _Pip, looked at the grandfather clock standing next to the window. 8:15.

"That's wonderful. Thank you!"

_"No problem Ms. Kearney, have a wonderful morning."_

"You too." Pip hung up the phone and exhaled deeply. Just enough time to shower and drive to the vet. Placing the phone on the charger, she hefted herself off the plush, deep purple couch and headed back to the kitchen.

Kip was sitting at the table with the paper and tea mug just as he was yesterday when she got home and the other morning, and everyday before that. _'I bet if you slit his wrist he'd bleed tea...' _Pip snickered at her dark thought, which didn't go unnoticed by the old man.

"Make an appointment?" Kip flipped through the paper. Pip sat across from him and grabbed his tea as usual. Sipping the slightly sweet tea, she hummed a yes.

"In about an hour, I'm going to get ready. How much gas is in the car?" Pip set the mug down and turned to look at the raccoon in the cage. He was no longer curled in a ball, but splayed out on it's stomache.

"It's a quarter under empty so you should be good. Ill make you some croissants to eat on the way there." Kip grabbed his mug and sipped the tea.

"Thanks Kip." Pip left the kitchen and walked to the the bathroom. It was blight blue and chrome themed. Very futuristic. Pulling the curtain over, she turned the water on full blast. Stripping out of her clothes from yesterday. Stepping in to the shower she winced at the hot water, but quickly felt her muscles relax. Reaching for her loofah and body wash, she squeezed the eucalyptus and mint wash onto the loofah and scrubbed herself. The strong scent seemed to awaken her and made her skin tingle. Washing her hair with a mint shampoo, she rinsed off in cold water to get her blood flowing.

Reaching for the grey towel on the wall rack, she wrapped her self and brushed her teeth. Gather her clothes she walked to her room and went the her dresser. Pulling out a sports bra, girl boxers, a dark green tank top, and loose black cargo pants. Dressing quickly, looked at her self in the full length mirror. Her ginger hair looked a shade darker from the shower. Her bright green eyes were large, giving her an innocent look, but they held a glint of mischievousness. Her skin was pale, even though she was outside a lot, but she did have lean muscles. Slipping on socks and her black hikers, she brushed her hair and grabbed her Flogging Molly wallet, cell pone, mp3, and her necklace with the family crest, a fox in the foreground and a pair of arrows crossed in the back. Gilded ivy surrounded the son the outsides and the words '_Certa tempestate' _embossed the outer rim. It was completely silver. Hooking the necklace on and turned to walk out her door. She stopped however when she saw a deep purple bandana hanging from her doorway. Grabbing it she walked downstairs.

Kip pulled the microwavable croissants out of the microwave and tossed one to Pip, who juggled the hot bread until she could hold it with out burning her hand. Kip laughed and grabbed one himself only to burn his hand.

"KARMA!" Pip shouted with a laugh. Opening the cage that Chozu was in she slipped the bandana around his neck and tied it on, nodding in satisfaction, she grabbed the car keys, and the cage were the raccoon still slept and said goodbye as Kip cradled his burnt hand.

Pip placed the raccoon on the passenger side and went round to the driver side. Cranking the car on she turned on the radio and drove to the vet.

Kip's hand still hurt as he went to the living room and sat on the deep purple couch. Turning the TV on the news he was meet with the sight of the attractive weather lady saying that a massive storm was approaching Oregon, and would make landfall in two hours. The storm system, was approaching fast and people should try and hunker down as soon as possible, or this could possibly the worst storm that the west coast has had in 20 years.

Kip immediately called Pip's cell only for it to go straight to voice mail. Relaying his knowledge of the storm he could only hope she got his message soon.

He went out to the shed to make preparations for the storm.

"Chozu..." a women stepped from behind the door and waited for the owner to stand she sighed and repeated the name again. Once again not receiving she looked at the sheet and called the owners last name

"Kearney?" Pip perked up and stood.

"Here," she picked up the cage and carried the raccoon named Chozu, through the doorway to an open room. The vet assistant looked a bit nervous near the raccoon, and said the vet would be in shortly.

Pip opened the cage and began to rub the raccoons back. It yawned and looked at her sleepily. Pip gave a lop sided smile and continued to pet Chozu. The vet walked in and greeted Pip.

"So why are we here today, Ms. Kearney?" the vet was maybe in his late thirties, with brown hair that was slightly greying.

"I found this guy last night in my house and wanted to make sure he was okay. He doesn't seem rabid, just very underfed." Pip scratched Chozu behind the ear. Chozu sat up sleepily and looked to Pip. She smiled and looked at the doctor. "I just want to know if hes healthy. And if you could give him shots as well. I can pay for them, trust me." Pip added when the vet gave her an odd look.

"Alright you can stay or head back to the lobby." Dr. Calvin picked up Chozu who immediately began to chatter and thrash fervidly in an attempt to escape, reaching out to Pip. Pip rubbed her neck and laughed, embarrassed.

"I guess I should stay."

"Well even though he's underfed he seems healthy. No heart worms, no parasites, rabies, not even fleas. You said he snuck in your house?" the vet looked up from his clipboard

"Yep." Pip was hugging a disgruntled Chozu to her chest, his legs dangling from under her arms. He was growling slightly at the vet for prodding him with needles. "Hush." Pip hugged the raccoon a bit closer to her chest.

"Do you have any neighbors that live close by with raccoons? He seems very healthy to be a wild raccoon." Dr. Calvin pushed on. Pip shook her head.

"Were in the kinda deep in the woods. Do you know where Hunter Park is?" Dr. Calvin hung is head.

"Yes I..I do"

"We live close by the old park."

"Well then I can say that in my ten year career, I have never seen a more healthy wold animal. You can go ahead out to Amy and she'll get you set to go. Have a wonderful day Ms. Kearney."

"You too, and thank you." Pip set Chozu into the metal cage and walked to the reception desk.

A very tan women with a peppy voice and bleach blonde hair greeted her.

"Hello there, Ms. Kearney, we spoke on the phone earlier! You're the one with the exotic name!" Pip flushed slightly.

"It's not exotic it's just Irish."

"Well it exotic for Oregon!" Amy the receptionist pushed a clipboard into her hand, "Just find your name where you signed in and sign what time your leaving. Well bill you your total cost for this visit. May I ask what your name means?" Pip looked down in embarrassment.

"Umm it doesn't make much sense really..." Pip checked her cell for the time only to see it was dead. Looking at the wall clock she noticed it was 10:22. _'Wow that took a while...'_

"Oh come on," the super peppy blonde whined, "It can't be that bad!" Pip sighed in defeat and stood tall her head held high, to salvage a little pride.

"Ainfean means either storm, fury, or even violence, my middle name is Begley, it means little hero, and my last name Kearney mean fox or victorious." the receptionist laughed a little.

"Wow your name sounds girly but it's so masculine! I'm sorry I really am but Begley? That's so manly!" Pip gave a little glare,

"My mother named me after my father, who died during a routine traffic stop. He was a decorated police officer, _ma'am." _Pip spat out the last word and storm off to her car.

Angrily setting Chozu in the front seat, and slamming the door, she stomped to her side and slid in. She sat in the car in silence. Tears began to pour from her eyes as she repeatedly hit the the steering wheel in anger and sadness. After her little fit she rubbed the tears from her eyes and started the car. The wind was blowing very hard and Pip wanted to get home soon.

Pip noticed that hardly anyone was on the road or on the streets. She got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, trying hard not to floor the gas home.

_'Somethings not right...'_

Chozu was pacing in the cage and making whining noises, looking from Pip to the sky and to Pip again.

_'Defiantly not right.'_

Kip sat in the living room watching the local news. He had boarded up all the windows and the generator ready in case of the electricity going out. The whole state of Oregon and and parts on southern Washington were completely covered in red and green patches, indicating where the storm was worst.

"_...Lightning has struck ground several times in the area, and the winds are in excess of 22 miles per hour. Rain has made landfall on the coast, and already we are experiencing flooding. Weather experts say the storm shouldn't last long but it will cause some serious problems and damage. We advise you stay insi-..._" Kip muted the TV. Pip hadn't returned his call, and the storm was going to hit town very soon.

Walking to the window, he peeped out between the boards in hopes of seeing the car and Pip pull up, instead he saw black storm clouds looming ominously overhead. Kip pulled out his pocket watch with the family crest and rubbed the Latin words.

"Fight The Storm... I have a bad feeling..."

Kip looked up and out the slot on the window.

"Please be okay, Ainfean..."

"You gotta be fucking kidding me!" Pip yelled and hit the steering wheel. The car had broken down three miles from the house and it was pouring rain and the winds were raging. Pip looked at the gas meter.

"The gas! I forgot to fill the gas tank!" Pip yelled to no one in particular. Chozu was going erratic in his cage, looking to Pip and chattering loudly. Pip opened the glove compartment and grabbed the oversized poncho. Slipping it on she stepped out the door and walked to the passenger side door. Unlocking the latch to the cage Chozu jumped out and into Pip's arms, chattering and looking around frightfully.

Pip slid him under the poncho and began to job up the road to the house. The wind changed the direction of the rain and it began to pelt painfully at Pip's face. Turning her back to the rain she began to look for an alternative route.

_'The park! I can head to the park!' _Pip picked up her pace and ran through the trees to her park. The sky was darkening as it began to rain harder, the only substantial light came from the flashes of lightning. The wind picked up, whipping Pip's poncho in a frenzy blowing sodden leaves all around the trees and obscuring Pip's vision further. Once or twice she accidentally ran into a tree, or stumbled over a tree root, falling to her knees. All this time she hadn't let go of Chozu who was whimpering and looking at the sky through the clear plastic poncho in fear.

Pip managed to make in to the old park. All her tools lay hidden under leaves and shallow pools of water. Pip ran to the most prominent part of the old wooden playground, the main playhouse, which Pip had did the most work to.

Climbing up the short flight of steps she settled under the roof top and set Chozu down on the small bench that was built into the original design. The storm was raging harder then ever, everything was soaked. Pip looked around the muddy landscape and found a large blue tarp. Thinking she could nail it to the structure to give her more shelter from the rain she began to climb back down. Chozu leapt forward and grabbed the the sleeve of the poncho.

"I'll be right back!" Pip hollered over the howling winds. Chozu pulled harder and Pip just shooed him away. "Stop!"

Rushing to her tarp she found a flaw in her little plan, she didn't know where her hammer and nails were. Curing loudly she picked up the tarp and dragged it behind her looking through the mud for the tools. A flash of lightning streaked through the sky directly over head and Pip began to panic. Her heart racing she started for the tree she was lying in the other day, hoping maybe she left them there. Another flash of lightning lit up the old park and a loud crash of thunder sounded, making Pips heart race faster. At the base of the tree she began to circle around when she felt a tug at her soaked pants.

Chozu had one hand wrapped around the hem and was trying to run forward. Pip picked him up to her eye level told him to stop. The raccoon squeal loudly and began hitting at her wrists when a another flash of lightning struck again, only this time it hit a tree branch above Pip. Pip struggled to get away but slipped in the mud and landed on her stomach. She rolled to her back only to see a large branch fall directly over her vision.

Everything went black.

"I'm telling ya' I totally could've taken them!" a loud voice shouted through the forest.

"You wimped out, you loser." an apathetic voice retorted.

"Stop calling me a loser! I'll show you I'm not a loser. You and me! Right here, right now!" there was a loud crack heard through the forest.

"Sakura!" the first voice whined

"Naruto, you IDIOT!" the voice known as Sakura yelled.

Team three was returning from their mission to the mist, tired form the work but happy for a job well done. Currently, Naruto was holding his reddened cheek, crying dramatically. Sakura was glaring at Naruto, red in the face from anger, and the third teammate, Sasuke, rolled his eyes at the scene in front of him. The only adult in the troupe was reading a book attempting to block out the noise around him.

_'I'm almost home, I'm almost home, I'm almos- What was that?'_

"Guys be quiet." The teens wouldn't hush. Naruto began crying to Sakura declaring he was superior to Sasuke, and Sakura was screaming something about no one being better then her Sasuke.

"Guys... Guys... SHUT UP!" Kakashi shouted to the preteens, they all stopped and stared at their sensei, wide eyed.

"I heard something..." they all stopped listening carefully. The wind blew faintly, making the trees to rustle faintly.

"I don't he-" Naruto was shushed by Kakashi's hand.

Just when Kakashi was going to play it off to the wind they heard a faint voice in the forest cry out.

"Help me..."

Kakashi turned to his kids and gave the command.

"Spread out and search for anyone in trouble. Call out IMMEDIATELY if you find anyone." With that Team seven jumped into action spreading out into the direction of the voice.

Pip woke up to something wet on her cheek. She felt a crushing weight on her abdomen and a lighter weight on her chest. Opening her eyes her was face to muzzle to Chozu but he was very blurry. He kept shaking her face and licking her cheek. Looking down she saw a huge tree branch pinning her to the ground. Pip attempted to sit up until she felt a shooting pain run up her legs to her lower ribs. Pip cried out in pain and lied herself back on the ground, tears of pain and frustration pouring out.

She felt dizzy and she was beginning to see double. Chozu had moved to the side of her face and was rubbing her head in an attempt to comfort her.

"You know, Chozu" Pip breathed out, "you act very...human.. yeah that's it... human." Pip closed her eyes as she felt a wave of pain roll up her body and passed out.

She woke up a short time later with no changes in pain whatsoever. Chozu was curled in a ball against her neck. Pip looked around groggily.

It wasn't raining anymore and the sky looked very and sunny, as if the storm never happened. She was still soaking wet, but her poncho was ripped up. Pip tried to move her arms but as soon as she did, a dizzy spell fell over her and she cried out again. Lying in silence she wondered if Kip was okay. _'He can't cook for the life of him, I bet he's at the table with a cup of pomegranate tea... that sounds nice... some tea.' _Pip thought of anything to keep her mind off the pain. Then it hit her.

"Does he know I'm gone..." she thought aloud, "Does anyone know I'm gone." Pip began to panic. No one came to her park. No one knew the trails anymore. The rain would have washed away her scent. Maybe Kip would find her. Or he would tell the search party where she was.

_'What if they don't find me...' _

Chozu woke up and looked at Pip.

"Hey there." Pip smiled at the raccoon. "At least you're okay." Chozu stood up and stretched, then on all fours ran off, leaving Pip alone.

"No! Please don't go!" Pip shouted out, "I don't want to be alone." Pip felt tears slipping out of her eyes as she fell asleep again.

Pip woke up again and was met with a starry sky and a furry paw on her face. Looking over she saw Chozu seated beside her holding out a small red berry in his paw. Pip looked to the paw then to Chozu who merely gestured to her with his hand.

"What kind of raccoon are you?" Pip attempted a laugh, but ended up couching up something wet. Regaining her breath she opened her mouth and Chozu fed her the berry. It was surprisingly tart, but juicy. Chozu made a zipping noise and held out berry after berry for Pip. After about maybe twenty or so berries, Chozu ran out and curled next to Pip. Pip getting the picture and closed her eyes for sleep again.

Pip woke up to the sun glaring in her eyes. She felt very thirsty, and her mouth was dry. Chozu was on her chest again, looking out towards the forest. Pip closed her eyes and thought to herself of anyone was coming, it had to be a day or two that she has been missing. Then suddenly a voice rang out through the forest.

"...IDIOT!" Pip's heart began to race, someone was coming! Pip gathered all the strength she could muster and cried out.

"HELP!" Pip waited and called again "SOMEBODY! I'M STUCK!" Pip didn't hear anyone again and felt her hope begin to fade, as well as her strength.

"Help me..." Everything went black.

Sakura was jumping through the trees, scanning the ground for any sign of life. She had heard the cry with her teammates and was worried. She circled back around again and slowed her speed, hoping to find anything she missed. She caught a flash of something orange against the green of the forest floor. Coming to a complete stop she saw a girl, trapped under a large tree branch.

"SENSEI! I FOUND SOMEONE!" She cried out jumping to the ground next to the girl.

In less then a second the rest of her team were next to her. The girl looked pretty roughed up, blood was dried up on her mouth and she looked pretty pale.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura looked over to her teacher and clasped her hands together.

"Everyone, pool you medical supplies with mine. Sasuke, Naruto move that branch of of her. GENTLY!" Kakashi gave a pointed look at Naruto who huffed but nodded. The boys reached for the log only to have a raccoon jump down and hiss at them.

"Move Mr. Raccoon, we gotta move this log." The raccoon jumped down and nuzzled himself against the girls cheek. The boys lifted the log, and the girl groaned in pain, causing to the raccoon to hiss loudly at the boys.

Kakashi began to examine the girls body. She looked like hell to say the least.

"Naruto, summon up a few clones, Sakura give me your blanket, now." Naruto nodded his head and Sakura scrambled off to find her bag. Kakashi used a simple medical justu he learned back in his ANBU days and began to stabilize the girl so that she would be okay to move. A simple justu but no easy task. The girl was all banged up on the inside. Plenty of fractures and maybe even a punctured lung.

Sakura returned with the blanket and looked at her teacher.

"Spread it out, Naruto have each of your clones take a corner, okay?" Kakashi looked to Sasuke, "I'm going to need you to help me pick her up alright? Carefully she is very injured."

Kakashi took her upper and middle torso seeing as how they were the most damaged. Sasuke took her legs, and both set her down as gently as possible onto Sakura's blanket. Naruto's clones lifted the blanket into a makeshift stretcher. The raccoon jumped onto Kakashi shoulder and chattered sadly as he looked at the girl.

Kakashi picked up the raccoon to put him down on the ground when a faint voice called out.

"Ch-Chozu..." the raccoon perked up and jumped onto the girls chest, lying down and whimpering sadly.

Kakashi looked to his team and nodded to them, giving them the signal to proceed with the girl back home.

To Konoha.

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I just wanted to thank GEMfaerie and Amanuet for reviewing chapter one. This is my first serious fanfiction and I really appreciate hearing from you guys. THANK YOU! *\(^_^)/* I had to stop myself from writing or I would have a 16 page story instead of 8 hehehe


	3. Waking Up

_Waking up..._

"_And tragic news today the search for local Oregon teen, Ainfean Kearney, who was last seen leaving a local vet, only to get caught up in the largest storm recorded in the last 20 years in Oregon, has been called off. It has been a a week since they found the family car on the side of the road, three miles from the house. Police said there was no sign of struggle, it was just as if she got out the car to walk home. Canine units followed the trail to old Hunter's Park, where they lost her scent. You may remember a few years back, Hunter Calvin, went missing for 12 days before his body was found._

_ "Police have officially called off the search for Ainfean, saying that they had no leads of any sort. She was a straight A student and was graduating early so that she could begin college. No one had any negative thoughts of Ainfean, whom teachers and peers refer to as, Pip. _

_"The high school has hired grief counselors to help the teens for the next week, and even a few teachers have shown up. Mrs. Thalami, music teacher for Ainfean said she would have been a musical prodigy. She could play any instrument she got her hands on beautifully with little effort once she was __taught how to play. So in honor of the fallen sch-_

Kip shut the TV off. His eyes were red from crying for the past week and a half, on and off. Looking out of the curtains he could see some reporters outside with their camera crew, recording his house. Most likely retelling the tragedy that was his life. Shuffling quietly to the kitchen, he sat at his table. It was littered with half filled cups of tea. Kip couldn't bring himself to finish them. Pip always drank half. Drinking the rest would be accepting that she was gone.

And accepting was something he refused.

Kip sat at the table. He wanted to cry, so much that he felt a sore lump in the back of his throat, but no tears came. The usually well kept man looked haggard and unkempt. Wrinkled clothes, disheveled hair. Bags under his eyes made him look years older.

Kip sighed, bringing his face to his hands. He was tired. Not sleeping for a few days may not really affect a younger person but he was well into old age.

Peaking at the table through his fingers, he felt a pang of self pity and anger towards himself. One half of him said to go to his roof, cry, and hopefully pass out from exhaustion. His other half was screaming at him to get off his lazy ass and stop wallowing in his grief. Be a Kearney!

But right now he wanted nothing more then be nothing...

Pip woke up feeling better then she felt in ages. Sighing in content she snuggled deeper into the blanket and started to make plans for the day.

_"I'll make some toast... No! Bagels, then I'll go to the park and fix it up that loose beam under the slide, then I'l-" _Pip's thoughts crashed into a jumble mess. _'THE PARK! The tree... lightning... Oh God...' _Pip felt her stomach lurch. Rolling to the side she heaved. She felt a sting in her arm. A needle. Panicking she reached to pull the the needle out her arm. She faintly could hear a droning beep noise, but she was focused on the fact that one the once spotless white floor was now splatters of red. _'Is...that my... blood?'_

Pip stared at the blood in sick fascination. She failed to notice a team of nurses and doctors rush in only to stop dead in their tracks when they saw the girl hanging over the side of the hospital bed, eyes wide, staring fixedly at the floor.

Pip's body began to shake, as realization hit her. _'I'm in a hospital! They found me!' _Pip began to laugh while staring at the blood_. _The nurses began to back away slowly in fear watching the strange girl laugh at her blood.

Pip looked over at the people for the first time and smiled widely. They were all dressed in white uniforms and looked shocked.

"May I speak with my doctor? Is my grandfather here?" the nurses looked at each other and walked out, in search of Pip's doctor. One nurse quickly scurried to replace the needle that ripped out of Pip's arm. Pip looked at it sheepishly and flushed slightly.

"Sorry about that..." The nurse looked up and smiled faintly and replaced the needle smoothly. Pip didn't even feel it go in. Reclining back against the pillows, she kept smiling. A janitor walked in and cleaned the blood on the ground and shortly after a three men walked in.

The first man that walked in had a clipboard and walked immediately to the monitor next to Pip, taking notes. The second man looked very old, and wore what looked like a long red smock, with a white over coat. He had on a white hat, with a spot of red in the center, which had the kanji of 'Fire' in the center. He was smoking a pipe. The last wore a long grey jacket, black pants, and a long black overcoat. He also wore a bandana with an odd symbol on it. Not at all strange really until you looked at his face. He had two large scars running across the length of his face.

_'I'm going to take a wild guess and say lion tamer!' _Pip began to feel as if something was off.

The doctor walked to the men, and after a rushed whispered conversation, left the room shutting the door. Pip sat up, propping herself up against the headboard and stared at the men, who stared in return. Wanting to stop the slightly awkward moment, she began to look around the room, there was a window but the curtains were closed.

"How are you feeling?" Pip looked over to the men and saw that the older one had stepped closer to the hospital bed.

"Fine thank you." Pip smiled to try and lighten the mood.

"You had quite the accident, Child. You had a punctured lung, a minor concussion, and three fractured ribs." The old man smiled kindly at her and sat in the chair next her bed.

"Just like any other Tuesday." Pip laughed loudly due to nerves. The man smiled lightly, sensing her nervousness.

"Do you know what happened to you?" Pip nodded,

"I was taking my... pet raccoon to the vet, we got caught up in a storm and my car broke down, so I went into the forest where the park is, you know Hunter Park. Anyway, I've been repairing the old playground so I ran there to find shelter, but the rain was pretty bad. I went searching for a tarp and nails by a tree. Lightning struck and a branch fell on me." Pip thought for a few seconds then continued, "I woke up in the forest, and Chozu, that's my raccoon, was there. I kept falling asleep, and when I woke up Chozu fed me. After a while I heard voices and called out. I guess you can guess the rest." Pip smiled and held her arms up in a silent explanation. The old man looked to the other man, who merely nodded slightly.

The man walked forward and gave a pointed glare at Pip. Pip felt a slight shiver down her spine but otherwise he expression didn't change at all.

"What is you name?"

"Pip. Well my real name is Ainfean Begley Kearney, but I go by Pip."

"Where are you from?"

"Ummm, Oregon. You know the state we live in... What's going on here."

"Where is Oregon?" Pip gave the man an incredulous look.

"What do you mean 'Where's Oregon?', We live there!" The man glared harder at her.

"You're in Konoha, _Ainfean_." Pip glared back at him.

"I prefer Pip, _Sir._" Pip mocked his tone, "And where is Konoha? That's no where near my hometown!"

"Ibiki, why don't you go bring her doctor while I talk to.. Pip was it?" Pip nodded to the elderly man. The man with the with the scars on his face, who was now identified as Ibiki took the small hint and stepped out the room. The air felt lighter as soon as he shut the door and Pip let out her breathe she didn't even know she was holding. _'Holy shit he's scary as hell!' _Pip began to laugh uncontrollably again. '_He seemed so serious about the whole Konoha thing!_' Pip got the bad feeling in the pit of her stomach again.

"Where's Chozu? My grandfather? How long have I been here?" Pip felt her throat dry up and her tongue swell slightly.

"Your raccoon kept jumping onto your lap and basically attacking anyone who got near you, especially the doctor on your case. We had the only person he wouldn't attack take him to their house. Don't worry, your pet will be fine." The old man assured her when he saw Pip's worried face. "No ones come to see you, you're grandfather may not even know you're missing. As for how long you've been out, we brought you in here a week ago. You we're in a medically induced coma because you kept struggling against everyone in your sleep. Feisty, aren't you?" Pip laughed.

"I'm a Kearney what can I say?" Pip sighed and began to wonder where Kip was. Surly he knew she was missing after two weeks! Pip heard the door unlatch as Ibiki and another man walked in. The man had large, round, thin rimmed glasses and grey hair pulled into a pony tail and a slightly creepy smile. Pip felt warning bells go off in her head. _'Somethings off on him!'_

Pip noticed he was carrying a rolled up piece of paper under his arm. A chart perhaps. He bowed to the older man next to Pip, and smiled a somewhat more sincere smile. Still it seemed off. '_I guess that's just how he smiles..._'

"Good morning Hokage. I trust you are feeling well? I wouldn't want you in the hospital as well!" Pip felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. _'Okay Gut! I get the warning! Something is DEFINITELY not right with him!'_

"I'm very well, Kabuto. However Pip here isn't that well I believe." The Hokage looked to the rolled up chart in Kabutos' arm. "What have you got there?"

Kabuto made an 'oh!' face and looked to his arm.

"I have a map here! Ibiki said that the patient kept saying she was from Oregon. Maybe it's a village somewhere hidden in the forest or even outside of the border." Pip glared at Kabuto for calling the patient. The old man said her name! Did he not listen? Or did he not care? Kabuto turned his attention to the teen in the bed. His eyes widened at Pip's glare. He smirked and pushed up his glasses, the bifocals reflected the light off them, slightly hiding his eyes.

"He also said she had a glare that topped his. I must say I didn't believe him," he looked at her and laughed a little too loudly, "but you seem to have proved him right!" Pip just kept glaring.

Clearing his throat on comfortably, he rolled the map with a flourish and laid it on Pip's lap.

"Could you please point to where you're from?" Pip furrowed her brow looking at the map. This looked nothing like America, or Canada, or Mexico. In fact it looked like no Country or continent that she had seen. That bad feeling in the pit of her stomach appeared again. Giving a distressed look to the old man.

"This.. this is a sick joke!" Pip looked to the map again as the men around her looked to each other in shock. "C'mon! I-I don't believe you'd do this to a girl in the hospital! Or is this even a hospital." Pip felt her heart rate spike up a few beats. It showed on the monitor next to her.

"What do you mean?" The old man was still calm as Pip began to shake.

"This isn't a map of anywhere on Earth!" Pip pushed herself up and swung her legs off the bed. She felt pain in her abdomen and she was sure she would be throw up blood again. Carefully ripping out the needles and cords connected to her body she stood, only to get a hand on her shoulder. Getting goosebumps again she turned to face Kabuto, who had a look of worry on his face.

"You shouldn't be walking around! What do you mean about the map?" Pip slapped his hand away and for the umpteenth time that day, glared at the man in front of her. She saw him shiver slightly under her gaze.

"That in _not _a map of America. Not of of and landmass I've ever seen. And _definitely _not a map of Oregon!" Her voice rose an octave after each sentence to add emphasis.

"Why don't you lie on the bed? Maybe you're head was hit harder then we thought." Pip's jaw dropped at Kabuto.

"No! You're insane if yo-" Pip was cut off when she saw him reach toward her. She swatted his hand away. Something struck her as odd though. Was his hand...

"Glowing?" Pip eyes widened when her thoughts were confirmed.

"What the hell is going on!" Pip turned her back on closed her eyes. "It's a fever dream! Or this is what a coma's like. I'm still in the forest. No! I'm in my bed! There was no storm! There was no storm. There was no storm..." Pip opened her eyes. Still standing in the hospital room. _'It's not real! It's not real! It's not real!' _Pip clutched her head, it felt as if it was being squeezed together, _'I'm in bed. I'm not in a city of ninja's I'm... I'm...' _Pip felt a heat grow in the pit of her stomach, a slight tingle in her head. A voice in the back of her head spoke quietly, saying 'It's true.' over and over again. Pip felt an odd calm come over her and she turned to the men in front of her. The Hokage was now standing next to Kabuto, whose hand was still glowing.

"Why is your hand glowing?" Pip's voice was a monotone. Kabuto gave her an odd look.

"I'm a medical ninja. Haven't you ever seen one before?" Pip shook her head slowly.

"Nin-...ninjas don't exist. They did hundreds of years ago, but not now. Plus they were in Japan, not Oregon... But," Pip felt that heat again in her stomach, and she felt the need to Pip walked over to the window that was covered by the curtains. Pulling them open, she stared numbly at the scene in front of her. Tall colourful building stood in the distance, while people were walking along the streets "I'm not in Oregon..."

The Hokage had a feeling the girl was speaking the truth about not being from Konoha. She seemed so sincere.

"Pip... I think we should talk..."

The Hokage and Pip spoke at length. Ibiki had joined them but merely stood in the background, eyes firmly focused on Pip. Kabuto wasn't there, much to Pip's pleasure. Even though he did nothing to Pip, she had a terrible feeling about the medic. The Hokage explained where she was and what ninjas were like. And Pip explained what her home was like. The Hokage remained silent through her explanation. Pip was still in shock of the proceedings. Finding it harder and harder to believe what was going on. Chakra? Jutsus? It all seemed surreal. But here it was in front of her. She knew she wasn't dreaming. The Hokage even took the liberty of showing her a..a.. clone jutsu! Which caused a bunch of men in mask demanding if Pip attacked the Hokage. To which the old man only looked to Pip and said he'd explain later.

Slowly the numbness of shock wore off and she felt more and more tired. She had asked the Hokage if she could have Chozu back. He said he'd see what he could do and walked out the room.

Pip had gotten her clothes back, which was more comfortable then the scrubs they had put on her while she was unconscious. Her skin crawled at the thought of her being stripped down by Kabuto. Slipping on her crest. She looked out the window for what seemed the hundredth that day.

It really was beautiful. Something you see in a museum. The streets were littered with people walking, or stopping to chat. People in colourful clothing, laughing, hugging. People without a care. The buildings were white with equally colourful roofs. The sky was beginning to darker slightly. Night was coming soon...

There was a knock on Pip's door. Pip looked over and the intruder let themselves in. It was Ibiki.

"So kid..." Pip glared slightly, "Sorry, Peep. You're gonna stay overnight. Doctor wants to run some tests on you before they kick you out. I'm going to run a background check on you. We'll know if you've been lying." with a final glare he headed for the door. Pip leaned against the wall next to the window and watched the sun set behind one of the taller buildings.

"What's going on here?" Pip wondered out loud. After a moment of silence something hit Pip.

"That ass called my Peep!" Pip half yelled to no one. Turning on her heel she stormed to the door. Pushing it open with all her might she heard a loud _thump! _And someone crying out in pain. Peeking from behind the door she saw a boy in a very bright orange jumpsuit on the floor, rubbing his head. The was a girl with pink hair and a matching pink kimono like dress to his right, and a boy with fascinatingly spiked black hair, and a navy blue shirt with white shorts to the left. Right behind the boy was a man with light grey hair standing on slant. He wore a mask past his nose and was holding a furry bundle in his arms.

Pip held her hand out and the boy in orange gladly took it. Pip hefted him up quickly making him stumble but he got balance before he fell again.

"Hi, I'm Pip." Put a hand on the boy's shoulder, adding some stability. The boy gave her a huge smile and burst out exclaiming,

"Hi there! My name's Naruto! We're the ones who found you in the forest! How are you feeling?" Pip smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Much better, just... a little confused is all." Pip stepped away from the doorway, "Come in and take a seat!" The quartet walked in. The older man stood in the corner left of the doorway and, with his free hand, pulled out a bright orange, and began to read. The black haired boy leaned against the wall next to the window where Pip stood earlier. The girl took the chair that was next to Pip's bed, and Naruto hopped onto the end of Pip's bed, which earned an angry look from the girl.

Pip copied Naruto and jumped up the same way he did, smiling sweetly at the girl.

"Umm... Thank you for saving me." Pip thanked awkwardly. How do you thank strangers for saving your life without feeling awkward? The answer: there is no way.

"No problem!" Naruto seemed oblivious. Sweet, but still oblivious.

"So umm, who are your friends?" Pip looked to the girl in pink.

"Oh! My name is Sakura! I was the first one on the scene." her smugness was evident, but by the way she kept looking to the black haired apathetic boy, it must have been a failed ploy to get his attention. _'Boy crazy...' _

"Yeah Sakura is the greatest! She found you as soon as we set off!" Naruto blushed slightly rubbing the back of his head. Sakura wrinkled her nose at Naruto before returning her gaze back to the black haired. _'Uh oh... I smell a one way love triangle!' _

Pip looked expectantly at the black hair boy, who merely looked her way, hmm'ed and looked back out the window. _'Well aren't you Mr. Social Network!'_

"That's Sasuke." Naruto explained. "He's an ass." Pip nodded her head.

"Seems so." Pip looked to the man in the corner. It looked as if he hadn't moved an inch since the time he pulled out his book.

"Kakashi." He stated without looking up from his book. "I believe this belongs to you?" He shook his arm with the furry bundle and it began to move and make a chittering noise. Pip smiled and stumbled out the bed racing towards the raccoon in the Kakashi's arms.

"Chozu!" Pip picked him up and squeezed him to her chest.

"You seem quite attached you raccoon. Had him a long time?" Kakashi asked lightly, as if he were just asking it to seem interested.

"Actually I only had him a day before I ended up here." when she said that the oddest thing happened around Pip. Naruto literally fell to the ground, and the rest of the group sweat dropped. Physically.

"You act like you've had him forever!" Naruto muttered from the ground.

"He fed me when I was trapped under that log." Pip sat on the bed and stroked the raccoons back. Naruto clambered back onto the bed and reached towards the raccoon, who rubbed his head against Naruto hand. Sakura tried the same thing only to get her hand snapped at.

"Chozu!" Pip cried out shocked. Chozu flattened his ears, whined. "Are you okay Sakura?"

"Y-yeah I'm fine..." Sakura laughed it off, "He snapped at anyone who got close to you. Only Naruto has been able to touch him. And sometimes Kakashi-sensei." Pip had the strangest feeling that Sakura was yelling at Chozu in her mind.

"So how old are you, Pip? And what kind of name is Pip? Where are you from? Are you a ninja?" Naruto leaned in closer with every question he asked. Pip heard a scoff from Sasuke.

"You idiot, she doesn't have a Hitai-ate." His tone was rude, and Naruto made a noise that sounded like a deep throated growl.

"So! She could have not put in on or something!"

"While Naruto does have a good point, you have to admit," at this Sasuke made a 'tch' noise and returned his gaze out the window, "I'm not a ninja Naruto. Just a normal seventeen year old girl."

Sakura gasped loudly.

"You're seventeen?" Pip nodded, "You look younger!" Pip sighed,

"I get that... a lot..." Pip began to finger her necklace.

"So?" Naruto asked.

"So?" Pip repeated.

"So are you going to answer my questions?" Naruto smiled brightly.

"Oh! Right. I'm seventeen. Pip in my nickname. My real name is Ainfean Kearney. It's Irish." Pip added when Naruto gave an odd look to her real name. "Umm, I'm from Oregon, and I'm obviously not a ninja."

"What Irish?" Sakura asked. Pip noticed that Kakashi lowered his book just a tad and Sasuke tilted his head towards Pip slightly. _'So they are interested...'_

"It's a country, Ireland. My family clan is from Ireland which makes me Irish. See," Pip pointed to her necklace, "That's our crest."

"Well where is you family?" Sakura asked.

"Dead." Pip answered bluntly. "Only me and my grandfather are left." Sakura lowered her head.

"I'm sorry I-I didn't mea-" Pip waved her hand to cut her off.

"It's okay. I never met my dad, and my mom died before I was even two months old." Pip shrugged, "It's nothing really, I've had a good life."

Pip straightened the bandana around Chozu's neck. There was a silence in the room for a few minutes. Kakashi snapped his book shut, getting the attention of the four teens.

"Visiting hours are over in ten minutes. I think we've been here long enough." Pip lowered her head. _'They don't want to be here?' _Kakashi placed a hand on Pip's shoulder.

"We'll be here tomorrow." Pip smiled as Naruto jumped up and grinned goofily.

"Yeah! We'll be here tomorrow and then when you get out we'll take you out to eat!" He snuck forward and cupped his hand around his mouth "I know the food here isn't that great." He petted Chozu one last time and stood next to Kakashi.

Sasuke pushed off the way and started for the door, with Sakura trailing after him.

"I know this great ramen place you'll love!" Kakashi pushed the overly energetic boy out the door, and with a lazy wave left the room before shutting the door.

Pip felt pretty lonely when they left, but who wouldn't when they are stuck in a hospital. Lying against the headboard, Pip looked out the window to the dark sky. Stars were just now beginning to come out. Petting the raccoon on her lap, Pip began to fall asleep.

_'What the hell is a __Hitai-ate?__'..._

AAAHHHH I'm sorry this took so long to come out. I had HORRIBLE writers block, so this chapter isn't that great V_V! Or that long either, but I'll make up for it!


	4. Off On a Good Start

_'Off On a Good Start'..._

_"Dreaming is an odd thing. You can have one awake or asleep. You can have dreams where you can control anything, or have absolutely no control whatsoever. You have good dreams, and bad dreams. There are even 'wet' dreams. But have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, shaking, sweating, looking around the room for shadows that aren't there? Or woken up feeling terrified?_

_"And I don't mean scared as in you just watched the movie 'Ghost Ship' and are boating near the Bermuda Triangle. I mean you're fearing for your life. Imagine the most scared you've ever been, and multiply that by twenty. That's how it is for me. Pure Terror. And it lasts for quite a long time._

_"They are called night tremors. I've had them since I was a baby in my crib. What's worse is that I can remember what I was so scared of. I remember all the monsters. All the shadows. All the terrors. I think that's why I'm not so scared of the monsters out there... Because I deal with the worst of them in here." - Pip, age 12. 7th grade presentation._

Pip didn't know what's worse: Waking up in a hospital, or waking up in a hospital, screaming. You would think there isn't a difference between waking up and waking up screaming. There's only one: when you wake up screaming, you end up with a brigade of people surround your bed asking a bunch of questions that really didn't make sense in the realm of half sleep.

And that's exactly what Pip had to go through at 5:36 AM.

About five people walked in yelling questions at her, while others used murmurs to try and soothe her. To Pip, it was just a bunch of mashed up noise. Slowly her screams faded down, and after a bunch of false smiles and reassuring lies the team of nurses left her alone.

One nurse stayed behind. Gently grabbing Pip's arm, she inserted a needle into it. Pip didn't even feel it go in, or notice that she pulled it out for that matter.

"Sorry I keep doing that." Pip laughed, embarrassed. The nurse looked up and smile lightly. Pip suddenly recognized her from the day before. "I guess you must be pretty fed up with putting the needle in me all the time."

"No..." the nurse replied quietly. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"What's your name?"

"Shizuka." again her voice was very quiet. Pip smiled. She wasn't timid at all, she just had a quiet demeanor.

"That's a pretty name." Pip sighed plopping down onto her pillows.

"Thank you. Yours is too. It's different." Shizuka pulled some tape out of a pocket and taped the tube connected to the needle in place. "There, it should stay now."

"Different is a good thing." Pip smiled and twisted her arm a bit to get used to the feel of the tape and to test its' hold. Shizuka smiled and nodded.

"Very good." Shizuka ran a hand over her auburn hair and yawned, trying to push back the stay hairs from her bun in place.

"Tired?" Shizuka nodded.

"Someone called in and I volunteered to take his place." she pulled the blankets over Pip. Pip snuggled into the bed and felt around for Chozu to cuddle into, only to notice the absence of the furry creature. Starting to panic she turned to Shizuka and asked where he was.

"I walked in earlier to change your IV and he was sitting by the window, scratching at it." Shizuka walked to the window and pulled back the curtain revealing the open window. "I opened it and he shot out. I figured he'd be back so I just closed the curtain so no one would notice." Pulling the curtains back to place she looked to the girl in the bed. Her voice dropped to a whisper,

"Where not allowed to leave windows open." Shizuka smiled "But I'm sure your raccoon knows how to get in. He's very smart" And with that Shikuza left the room, closing the door behind her.

Pip gave one last look to the covered window and closed her eyes.

"This is... Impossible!" Ibiki reread the papers in front of him for the third time. "There are absolutely no records of her! Nothing in the Bingo books, nothing in the civilian records. And no missing person reports in any other countries." Ibiki let the papers fall in front of the Hokage.

"And there was absolutely no DNA matches!" Ibiki continued, "Not even a distant relative." Ibiki leaned against the Hokages' desk, his hands supporting his weight on the edges.

"It's like she just appeared out of thin air."

The Hokage took a long drag from his pipe and exhaled slowly. Setting his pipe down he looked at a rather flustered Ibiki.

"Do you think she was lying when she spoke earlier?" Ibiki brought a hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No. I could tell she wasn't lying. She was sincere." The Hokage nodded.

"That's what I thought too." The old man leaned forward, "Now this rises an important question. What do we do with her. We can't ban her from the village, that's cruel." the Hokage gave a look to Ibiki, who lifted his hands in defense.

"She could apprentice with a craftsman. Gujin the Weapons smith is looking for one!"

"I don't think she has any prior experience, and Gujin is very impatient. He might throw her on the anvil!" The Hokage chuckled taking another drag from his pipe. Ibiki sat in the over-stuffed chair mulling over several ideas. He kept coming to only one solution.

"It could be a huge risk, with having no information on her, or that could be a blessing, but I keep coming to the same conclusion over and over again." Ibiki leaned his head back in an exaggerated manner, "She should begin ninja training." The Hokage set his pipe down and laced his fingers together, resting his chin on them.

"Do you think that is wise?" The elder man had came to the same conclusion, but wanted to hear Ibiki's side of it.

"It's a risk, for all we know this may be some ploy to infiltrate us. I mean with absolutely no information on her it seems too convenient, but if she were to become a ninja, we could keep tabs on her for a time." Ibiki took a deep breath to gather his thoughts.

Unfortunately, she'll be starting much later then any of our ninja's." The Hokage closed his eyes and hummed in agreement before speaking.

"She could have a private tutor. She may never reach our level anytime soon but I think that will be a good thing." Ibiki nodded

"Who would tutor her though? Ebisu is with Konohamaru, and all Jounin who requested a team received them... even Kakashi passed his brats."

"I see several solutions. One we could put her in the academy and hopefully accelerate her forward. We could stick her in a three-man squad. Or...," the Hokage looked straight at Ibiki, "We could find someone to teach her." Ibiki's eyes widened noticeably.

"With all due respect sir, but I'm not teacher her." The Hokage stared him down a bit before giving a light smile

"I know, I wasn't going to ask you, But you reaction was funny." Ibiki sweat dropped.

"You cruel." The interrogationist grinned manically before sobering himself, "Who's going to teach her then?"

"I am." Ibiki stood quickly

"That is a bad idea sir. We have no information on her. There's a chance she no harm at all, but there's also the flip side of the coin. She could be a spy, or an assassin! We need someone to keep tabs on her, if you teach her she could have the opportunity to kill you!" the Hokage lifted his hand to silence the man.

"I will put her in an existing squad, while also tutoring her myself." Ibiki began to protest but was cut short, "And if your so worried about watching her... You have a two bedroom apartment don't you?" Ibiki's eyes widened again at what the Hokage was insinuating.

"Actually I remade that into a gym months ago" Ibiki said, praying his little white lie would work. The Hokage smirked.

"I will give funding for an apartment close to yours, that way you both get privacy and you can keep watch on her." Ibiki let out a breath of relief. "But we still have more to discuss. Who's team will she be on?"

Ibiki felt tonight was going to be a long night.

Pip was having the most lovely dream. She was in a city and she was free running. She was running along the side of the wall and wasn't falling off, and with every leap she seemed to soar across the star lit streets. It was really incredible until she felt a rain drop her forehead. Stopping at the edge of the building she looked to the sky. Another rain drop landed on her forehead, then another, and another. Soon the world seemed to melt under her feet and the drops got more frequent and forceful until Pip opened her eyes...

To a raccoon smashing something on her forehead.

"Chozu!" Pip rubbed her forehead with her arm and picked up the raccoon. Squishing him close her chest, earning a happy squeal from the bandit, she smiled. It felt nice to hug the furry little thing.

Setting him down, Pip looked around. Her curtains were pulled back and the window shut, a fresh IV drip was present and her door was open. From the hall she could here the murmur of voices. On the bedside table next to her there was a note. Picking it up she read it to her self

_Chozu came back just fine, and he brought berries with him. When you wake up you can order breakfast. The Hokage will be seeing you today as well – Shizuka._

Pip smiled and set the note down. Looking over to Chozu, she grinned. Chozu had brought the berries that he had fed her when she was trapped under the log. They were in a neat little pile next to Pip's legs. Chozu held one up to her, which Pip took happily. Hopping out of bed, Pip strolled to the bathroom. There was a baggie full of bathroom necessities; brushes, combs, soap, and so on, so forth. Taking out the comb, Pip started the very difficult task of brushing her hair, she had a habit of thrashing her head in her sleep. This led to what Kip would call 'Medusa hair'. Brushing through the massive knots was a breeze. Pip was used to the pulling and tugging that she almost didn't feel it.

Grabbing a green hair tie from the bag Pip began the difficult task of french braiding her hair. After about fifteen minutes of twisting she had a decent hold and from what she could see it looked okay. Tying the hair tie in place, she looked at her hair. Some of Pip's bangs had escaped the plaiting process and now hung in front of her face, but it didn't look too bad so Pip just let it be. Taking out the tooth brush and toothpaste, Pip brushed her teeth and washed her face. Her clothes didn't smell dirty but they did look a bit wrinkled. Nothing too bad though. Pip grabbed the bag and left the bathroom.

Chozu curled up on Pip's pillow, sleeping. Walking to the window, Pip opened it, letting a nice breeze into the room. Stretching Pip felt her back pop in several places, the further back Pip stretched the more it popped. Soon Pip was nearing a back-bend when she heard someone clear their throat. Pip twisted her body and stood up in one maneuver, earning little black dots to pepper her vision. Shizuka stood at the door with her hands behind her back. Kabuto was standing slightly behind her, giving off an ominous aura. Pip felt her spine tingle, but for the sake of social grace, tried her best not to glare.

"Morning Shizuka," Pip smiled "Kabuto." Pip nodded. Shizuka smiled lightly and waved, while Kabuto smiled and walked into the room. Pip, out of natural reflex turned to the side to make herself a smaller target, keeping her self on guard. A voice in the back of her head said he was not to be trusted, and she believed it to be true.

"I trust your feeling better?" His voice was smooth but had a slight edge to it.

"I feel much better thank you." Pip struggle to keep her voice even and not let any hint of accusation through. "I'm just a bit hungry is all." Kabuto nodded.

"Well send someone up with some food. Anything in particular you want?" Pip shrugged.

"I don't suppose you have grits and jelly do you?" Kabuto gave her an odd look.

"What are grits?" Pip almost cried.

"Never mind. Just send up what you think is good." Kabuto turned to Shizuka and said to bring up some food. Turning back to Pip he asked her to sit on the bed. Nodding but feeling hesitant, Pip sat on the edge positioning herself for an easy escape. Just in case.

"You don't like me very much do you?" Kabuto lift Pips' arm and looked at the clock on the wall while he placed two finger on her wrist.

"What makes you think that?" Pip laughed. '_Busted!_'

"Well, you glare at me anytime you see me, you always have an edge to your voice when you talk to me, and when I got close to you stood in a defensive stance as if expecting me to attack." Pip sighed.

"I'm sorry it's just... I don't know I just feel out of place and everything is so strange. I mean ninjas? A-and your hand glowing, and...," Pip hung her head in shame "I'm sorry."

She always lived with really only one rule. Don't judge people. And she almost never did. Of course she had little slip ups here and there (in her defense they were usually just as she thought them to be), but this guy did nothing to her but take care of her.

Kabuto put a hand on her shoulder. Pip ignored the feeling of crawling flesh and looked at him. He had a sincere smile on his face but a voice in the back of her head was screaming bloody murder, saying '_Get away!_'

"It's okay Ainfean, you're just confused. I think anyone in your position would be more then a little defensive." Kabuto removed his hand and reached for a thermometer and stuck it in Pips' mouth.

"I just think it's odd you only treated me like that." Kabuto had a hurt look on his face.

"Nu uh! I I threated Ebebkeh thuh thame way!" Pip wrinkled her nose at the way that came out. She didn't think a thermometer would obscure her voice that bad. Kabuto was laughing at her expression and removed the thermometer.

"What was that?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I said 'Nu uh I treated Ibiki the same way'." Pip shrugged her shoulders sheepishly as Kabuto nodded his head.

"So I've heard. You do know hes the village interrogationist. The best there is." Pip nodded.

"And? He really isn't that scary." Kabuto raised an eyebrow pulled a clipboard off a cart Pip didn't even notice was there.

"Really? We have criminals in jail that start to cry when they here his name." Pip snorted.

"Really? That seems highly unlikely." Pip grabbed the clipboard that Kabuto handed to her.

"I need you to fill those out. Name, age, sign, blood type, things like that." Pip looked up and quirked an eyebrow at him

"My sign? If I didn't know any better I'd say you were flirting." Kabuto rubbed the back of his head and blushed a bit.

"W-well you know, you very cute."

"How old are you?" Pip asked pulling a pen that was sticking out from Kabutos' pocket.

"I'm twenty-three." Pip began to fill out the papers

"Ah, sorry I'm seventeen." Kabuto looked shocked.

"You look older!" Pip looked up and laughed.

"That's a first! Some girl yesterday said I looked younger. As well as every one else I know."

"Oh... Well when Is your birthday?"

"Aren't you just going to read my file anyway?" Kabuto said a silent 'Oh'

"Well, Shizuka should be up any moment and unfortunately you aren't my only patient."

"Don't like your job?" Kabuto shook his head and pushed his glasses up that had slipped a bit low.

"Oh no I love it, It's just I wont be able to spend as much time with you." He gave that creepy smile again and headed for the door. As soon as he left Pip felt as if the room brightened up and the ominous aura left with the medic. Pip would try and give him a chance but she still felt something was off with him.

Pip sat for a few minutes filling out the papers until someone knocked on the door. '_Please don't be Kabuto. Please don't be Kabuto. _PLEASE_ don't be Kabuto!' _Pip opened a door to reveal a smiling Shizuka holding two steaming bowls.

"May I come in?" Pips' mouth watered while she stepped aside letting the nurse in. Shizuka set the bowls down and pulled two spoons from her pocket and stuck them in the bowls.

"I hope you like okayu!" Shizuka picked one up and began to delicately eat her food. She sat in the chair next to Pip's bed, while Pip walked over, sat down and tentatively lifted the spoon to her mouth. It was rice that's for sure but it tasted a bit sweet but it was very good. So while Shizuka ate her food delicately, Pip shoveled the food into her mouth without mercy. The poor food didn't stand a chance. After about five minutes of silence Pip burped rather loudly. Covering her mouth she looked over to Shizuka who was staring at her wide eyed.

Pips faced turned bright red, then she began to laugh at her embarrassing little moment. Shizuka began to laugh too, then out of no where she burped. There was an awkward silence again. Until both over them doubled over harder then before, laughing manically. They both failed to notice the Hokage and Ibiki enter the room.

Pip was having troubled breathing and was turning even redder then she was before and Shizuka was had tears in her eyes. Finally when the two began to calm down a bit more The Hokage cleared his throat, catching the girls by surprise. Pip looked over to the men and tired her best to sober herself up. Shizuka stood and grabbed the bowls. She bowed to the Hokage and left the room.

"I see you've made a friend." the Hokage smiled and took the chair that Shizuka was in previously. "As you may know, you can't live here forever. So Ibiki and I talked at length last night and came to a conclusion. You'll begin ninja training in one week's time. During that time, you will spend a day with a few of our Jounin and see which team you would prefer to train with. You will not be a part of the team officially, and will not go on all the same missions as them. You will also begin training with me." Pip was silent through this whole thing. She was absentmindedly petting Chozu, who was making a purring noise of content.

"Um, Mr. Hokage, I don't think I'm ninja material. Could I be a cook somewhere. I'm good at that!"

"Since you will not be doing mission on a regular basis, you must get a part time job. We will talk with the proprietor about your situation. We have picked out an apartment for you. It is close to Ibiki so that he may check up on you from time to time. If he deems you to not be a threat you may move out or stay. And you will also be allowed to be a full fledged ninja if you wish. I know you may not want to be one, but this is my decision. And it's final."

"Won't I be a few years behind? Didn't you tell me kids start training when they are like what, five?" Pip didn't like the idea of becoming a ninja at all. It sounded exciting but throwing herself into something as dangerous becoming a ninja.

"Not to sound as though I'm bragging, but I'm the strongest ninja in the village. The leader of this village. If I were to train you, you would excel far faster than anyone within my village." The Hokage had an air of strength about him, and for a moment, Pip swore she saw a younger version of him flash behind him.

"There's no way out of this?"

"No. I'm sorry." Pip sighed.

"So...When do I start exactly?"

The Hokage left after a giving Pip a list of thing to buy, money to buy the things on the list, as well as food to stock up in her new apartment, and instructions to her new apartment. Shizuka came by a little afterward to talk.

"Hello, Pip." She was quite as usual, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Hey! What's up?"

"I just came by to tell you goodbye. Your visitors from yesterday are here to take you to lunch."

"How did you know about them taking me to lunch?" Pip asked.

"The short blonde one was talking, quite loudly about it. Arguing with the other boy on where to take you I think." Shizuka closed her eyes and smiled. "I have a gift for you!" She pulled a wad of cash behind her back and held it out. "I got my paycheck today and thought you could use it more then me." Pip stood wide eyed at the gesture.

"I couldn't! Besides the Hokage gave me money to bu-" Shizuka interrupted.

"He gave you money to buy only the essentials. Food, some clothes, equipment I suppose too right?" Pip again looked shocked "News travels fast when Momichi is on duty. She has a habit of eavesdropping."

"Still it's you money an-" Shizuka interrupter again.

"And I choose what I want to do with it. Buy yourself something. Donate it. Put it in the trash. It's yours." Shizuka shoved it into Pips hand with a air of finality. Smiling at the quiet and generous nurse, Pip grabbed her into a bear hug, catching the nurse off guard.

"I'll repay you soon!" Pip let Shizuka go, who, with a gentle smile, left the room. Pip pulled her wallet from her back pocket and stuffed the money in the already full wallet. Walking over to Chozu she nudge the scrawny little thing awake. Chozu sat up, stretched, and scratched at the bandana around his neck, causing it to come loose. Pip smiled and retied the clothe around the bandits neck.

"Come on, Chozu. It's time we leave this room." Chozu squealed and clambered up Pip's arm to and curled around her neck like a fur scarf. Pip looked around the room one last time and headed out the room.

Heading down the hall she could hear a familiar voice shouting out, though she couldn't make out what they were saying. Quickening her pace to a jog she turned the corner to see a waiting room and the quartet from yesterday. Naruto was pouting as Kakashi scolded him about something, Sakura was standing next to the adult looking slightly smug, and Sasuke was... well just sitting in a chair looking bored as usual. He was facing Pips direction, so he was the first to see her there.

"Hey!" Pip said happily, drawing the attention of the group. Naruto's pout turned into a huge grin as he bounced his way over to Pip.

"HEY PIP! Are you ready to go? What do you want to eat? You should try this ramen place I know! Hey Chozu!" Pip couldn't believe how fast the little boy could talk... or how loud for that matter.

"Naruto, give her some air. This is the first time shes about to set foot outside of the hospital." Naruto backed away sheepishly at Kakashi words.

"So... Where are we going to eat?" Pip asked looking to the jounin.

"Where ever you want. It's up to you." Kakashi said, the tone of his voice made it seem like he was smiling.

"Well, I don't know what I want. I know for a fact the food here is completely different then from my home, so why don't one of you choose." At her last words Naruto began to bounce on the heels of his feet. Kakashi sighed.

"Alright Naruto, lead the way."

"ALRIGHT!" Naruto shouted and grabbed Pip's hand, dragging the poor ginger quite a ways with out stopping. Pip stumbled a few times and looked back to the others, who merely smirked, smiled, or sweat dropped at the scene. Poop Chozu was barely able to hang onto Pips' shoulder. After what seemed like miles, Naruto came to a stop at a two story building. The top looked like a house, while the bottom was open. Pip could see bar stools and smell something cooking. Beef broth and steamed vegetables. Pip couldn't help but drool.

"Here we are! Ichiraku Ramen! The best place to get ramen in the whole world!" Pip wasn't really paying attention. She walked past the banner and took a seat. There were two people behind the counter, and older man and a young women. Naruto bounded in and took the seat left of Pip, then Sasuke entered and took the only seat right of Pip. Sakura came in and with a look of disappointment and a glare at Pip, took the seat next to Naruto, who was beaming. Kakashi sat next to Sakura.

"If it isn't my favorite customers!" the old man had a bowl in his hand and was drying it off with a rag. "And you brought a friend." The old man smiled at Pip.

"Yeah! This is Pip! We found her in the forest! This is her first time out of the hospital so we brought her here to eat!" Naruto through his arm over Pip, who was completely flushed from embarrassment. The old man, turned to Pip with a scrutinizing glare, then held his hand out with a wide smile. Pip shook his heand.

"Well any friend of Naruto's is welcome here! Tell you what, you can order anything you want, on the house!" Pip shook her head.

"That's okay! The Hokage gave me some money so I can pay!" Pip pulled out her wallet and opened it to show her point. Naruto's eyes nearly popped out their sockets.

"H-he gave you _that_ much?" Pip shrugged.

"Yeah. To buy weapons, and clothes, and food for my new apartment."

"Please I insist that your meal be free." the old man crossed his arm and smiled. Pip knew there would be no changing his mind. "Now what do you want?"

"I'll have a miso ramen, please." Sakura said.

"Me too." Kakashi added. He had pulled out his book at some point and was reading it.

"I'll have a shio ramen." Sasuke said. _'That's the most that I've heard him say!'_

"Three tonkostu ramens for me please!" Naruto shouted out, slamming his palm on the bar. The old man looked to Pip.

"Umm... One shoyu ramen, please." Pip still felt very uneasy about not paying for the ramen, but decided to just leave an extra large tip. From her seat at the bar she had a clear view of the old man and younger women preparing the food. Pip couldn't help but smile at the proceedings. It was like being on Iron Chef America. It was Pip's dream to be a contestant. Pip was so with entranced by the flailing of knives and the smell of soy sauce and spices that she didn't notice herself rising out of her seat to get a better look, or Kakashi directing a question at her.

"PIP!" a voice yelled in her ear. Pip was startled, so much so that she lost her balance and fell onto the counter in a heap.

"Ow..." came her muffled voice. Chozu had jumped off Pips shoulder when they first sat down and was staring at Sasuke (much to the raven haired boy's annoyance), until he heard Pip's 'Ow'. He turned his body to Pip and made an almost human snickering sound, before petting Pip's head.

Sitting up she turned to Naruto, who was covering his mouth with both hands. His face bright red. Pip sighed.

"Go ahead. Laugh." Naruto busted out howling.

"We've been calling your name for five minutes now! You looked like you had stars in your eyes!" Naruto pointed to Pip, "Got the hots for the old man?" At his comment Sakura caught Naruto with a right hook. The blonde fell onto the counter just as Pip did. Even giving the same little muffled ow.

"Sakura-a-a-a!" Naruto whined. Sakura merely huffed and turned forward, ignoring the whimpering blonde.

"As Naruto said, we've been trying to get you attention." Pip Turned to Kakashi who had put his book away and was giving Pip his full attention. Chozu had moved to Naruto and was playing with his messy hair.

"Yes?"

"You said the Hokage gave you money for clothes, food and weapons. Are you going to become a ninja?" at Kakashi's revelation, everyon e turned an ear to Pip. Even to two cooks behind the counter.

"I have to. It's sort of like probation." Pip sighed. "I'm going to spend some time with each of the jounins and their teams. Then I'll pick one to train with. I will go on some of the same missions but not all of them. In that time I'll be working somewhere part time and also training with Mr. Hokage." the teams, as a whole, eyes widened.

"You'll be training with the Hokage!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Yeah. He says that if I train with him I'll learn quicker." Pip said, shrugging her shoulders. "Ibiki didn't seem to like the idea. When the Hokage told me about training he got the look on his face. Like he just ate a lemon." Pip imitated the face the best she could earning a laugh from Sakura and Naruto, maybe even a smile from Kakashi it was heard to tell from behind his mask and the headband thing.

"Here you go! Two miso ramens, three tonkostu ramens, one shio and one shoyu ramens." Pip gasped at the size of the bowls. How in the hell was Naruto going to eat all of that.

"Believe me, he'll eat all of that and more." Pip turned to Sasuke who nodded his head to Naruto before pulling apart his chopsticks, and eating his food. Pip turned to her food only to see Chozu's head in the bowl, chowing down on her noodles.

"Chozu!" Pip cried out. "Why are you always eating my food!" Chozu popped his head out of the bowl, a noodle was in his mouth and one was dangling from his muzzle. Chozu reached into the bowl and grabbed a handful of noodles out, reaching out for Pip to take them. Sighing but smiling, Pip grabbed them.

"I'll make you another bowl." The old man offered, turning back to his work.

"So where are you staying?" Sakura asked.

"Umm... I don't really know. All I know is that it's close to Ibiki." Pip said, watching Chozu slurp up her soup, occasionally pulling out a noodle or vegetable to hand to Pip, who would place it back into the bowl when the raccoon wasn't looking. '_I'm going to have to give him a bath. I'm going to have to go shopping... I don't like shopping' _Pip began to think about the list of things she would need.

"I don't want to go shopping!" Pip cried out loud.

"Shopping?" Sakura asked. Looking around Naruto to Pip.

"I don't really like shopping. I wont go shopping unless I absolutely have too." Pip pulled the out of her front pocket and folded it it open. "I have to get weapons which I've never used. Then I have to go food shopping, which really isn't so bad because I love cooking. I'll know exactly what I want to get. But then the dreaded clothing shopping." Sakura eyes sparkled.

"I can help you out! I love clothes!" Pip smiled a little too wide.

"I don't think that would work, Sakura..." Sakura face fell.

"Why not?" Pip raised an eyebrow.

"Umm... Look at your style, and look at mine." Pip was wearing dark colours, while Sakura was completely covered in pink. Sakura said a silent 'oh' before turning back to her food, obviously disappointed.

"But I would appreciate the help." Pip said, earning a smile from the girl.

"Here you go." the old man had brought her another ramen with a smile on his face.

"Thanks! I'm sure it delicious, seeing as these two seem to love it." Pip gestured to Naruto and Chozu who were eating in much the same fashion. Shoveling it in there mouths.

"Thank you, Miss. I'm sorry but I heard you said you needed a part time job, correct?" Pip nodded. "Can you cook well?" Pip couldn't help but get a little smug.

"I've been cooking for me and my grandfather for five years now. If I was a bad cook, he would have told me so. Trust me, he really would have." Kip could be brutally honest.

"Well me and my daughter were talking and we could use an extra hand around here." Pip face lit up!

"Really? Please say your not joking!" the old man smiled.

"You can start next week. I'll have you on dish duty until you can prove you can cook." Pip did a rather girly squeal.

"Thank you!" the old man just nodded his head with a smile and returned to cleaning the rest of the bowls. For the next few minutes the group sat in comfortable silence, eating there food. An odd thought struck Pip after catching a glimpse of Kakashi in the corner of her eye. _'How does he eat with that mask on... Wouldn't he take it off?' _Pip caught herself trying to see if Kakashi would take it off, only to be blocked by his book. Pip eventually gave up and finished eating.

By this time, Naruto had finished all three of his bowl and had ordered a fourth from the old man. It took him no time to finish that one either.

"Ahh, that's the stuff." Naruto smiled and put a hand on his stomach. "Wasn't that great Pip?"

"Very good. Where I'm from the only ramen you can get is instant. And it's not that great." Pip pulled out her wallet and left a generous tip for the old man, while the rest of the group paid for their food.

"Well I'd love to stay and chat but I have to be somewhere." Kakashi stood up and lifted his hand in a odd gesture. "Later." He disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Pip's jaw dropped at the scene.

"Lazy jerk." Naruto said behind Pip. "Come on Pip, We'll help you shop!"

"Really? First we better find where I live. I don't want to buy everything then loose it all sleeping on the street." Pip pulled out a map Ibiki had given her. It was an over view of the village, with merely a red circle signaling where she lives. The teens had from a semi circle behind, looking at the map over her shoulder.

"Some help he is." Pip heard Naruto mumble.

"That's about a mile from where I live." Sasuke said. Pip turned her head to him.  
"Do you mind showing me the way there then?"

"Whatever." Sasuke put his hands in his pockets, looking nonchalant. Pip smiled widely and gave him a quick hug before turning to Sakura, who was giving her a pitiful excuse of a glare.

"Ready to go shopping?"

I'm so sorry for taking so long again =( I've been busy. Thank you for the reviews and for being patient. I know exactly what I'm going to do for chapter five so it will be very soon. This chapter is a bit longer to make up for the delay so I hope you enjoy.


	5. A Revelation of Spirits

_As a fore note I'm using yen and I'm not sure if the amounts are correct. So just kind of go with it please (^o^''). Also THANK YOU FOR 200 VIEWS ON MY LAST CHAPTER! I went from 400 views to 600 in one chapter! I love you all!_

_A Revelation of Spirits..._

Kip sat at his desk writing fervently. A stack of sealed envelopes at in the upper corners, all filled with letters, all addressed to no one. Kip was done with self pity. In all his years he had dealt with death, and now he had found a way to cope. He'd write letters. He would write letters to his loved one's gone. Four letters a day. One for his wife, his son, his daughter-in-law, and for his granddaughter.

It may seem morbid, but it made Kip feel as if they were still there with him. Kip cleaned himself up, washed, shaved, brushed. The kitchen table was cleared off, the mugs back in the cabinet where the belonged until use. The news crews finally left his story for something more prevalent. The mourners stopped bringing by food and condolences. Life went on.

And so would Kip...

"So I think I should get food first," Pip said, walking between Naruto and Sakura, Sasuke was slightly in front of them, Directing them to the market. "You know, I'll need food to survive more then clothes or weapons."

After Sasuke said he knew where Pip lived, he just started walking. Naruto and Sakura followed suit and Pip just shrugged and followed as well. They had been walking for ten minutes and the streets began to get noticeably more crowded. Pip could make out bazaars in the distance with fresh produce in every colour. Stores had their doors open with signs on windows advertising sales. People were carrying bags and baskets, while children ran around, occasionally sneaking candy from distracted salesman. It was something from a movie. And Pip couldn't be happier.

Running ahead of the group she worked her way down the street, avoiding people with twists and turns and body contortions. Being extremely flexible was a blessing. Making her way to the end of the road she surveyed her surrounding. There was a butcher shop next to a fish monger so she would get the meats before hand that way she could put the produce on top of it. Less chance of cross contamination. The only thing Pip needed now was something to carry it all in. Pip turned around and saw an elderly woman sitting on the ground. There were woven wicker baskets surrounding her. Pip made her way to the women and noticed she wore torn clothing much like a beggar, and had greasy, limp hair.

"Hello, Ma'am." Pip said smiling at the women. "Are you selling these basket?"

The women looked up at Pip showing her pale milky eyes. The women was blind. Pip frowned slightly at the condition the woman was in. Shouldn't someone be caring for her.

"Yes, these are for sale." The women held a hand out gesturing to the baskets. "Only 164.59¥." Pip bought four large baskets, one for her and the rest of the group, and paid the women extra what it was. Apparently, the women knew this.

"You gave me extra." She said, handing back the excess cash back.

"I know. It must cost a bit to buy and sell the baskets, right." The women shook her head.

"I weave them myself, so here." the women held her hand out.

"Them keep the money. They are beautiful." They really were, the reeds were woven in intricate patterns, and seemed very sturdy.

"I will not except handouts." the woman stated, "But I could offer a service for the extra payment." Pip was getting agitated. She didn't want to burden the women anymore. She was, as some would say, brutally nice. Either except her kind offer, or face her wrath.

"Fine. What service?" The women gestured Pip to sit down, which Pip obeyed.

"Hold out your hands. Palms up." Pip did so. The women put her hands on top of Pip's and closed her eyes. Pip felt that chill go up her spine again. The air seemed to get colder and the noisy street became suddenly silent.

"So far from home..." the woman's tone changed, it seemed deeper, a soothing alto, "So much potential... So much guilt." Pip felt that tingle in her spine start to burn and a voice in the back of her head started to scream. Pip tried to pull away but she couldn't move.

"You're home... so confusing. Why you came... How you came... Child!" the old woman opened her eyes and looked straight into Pip's, as if she weren't blind. "Things are going to happen, are happening. It's after you. Spirits. Everywhere. It took you. It brought you!" Pip managed to find her voice, but it sounded so small.

"Wh-what are you doing!" the woman kept staring into her eyes.

"Seeing. Watching. You came from else where. You don't belong. You will be marked. You will not wither. You will remain." The woman's voice became shrill, "You will never be alone." That burning came again tenfold. Pip closed her eyes and cried out. The woman removed her hands and just like that, the pain was gone.

"Be careful, Child." the woman placed a hand on Pip forehead, her voice back to the way it was before. "The Storm marked you. Fight the Storm. It took you. Replaced t-" Pip felt a wave a nausea pass over her causing the young girl to hunch forward grasping her churning stomach.

"I'm sorry." Pip heard the woman say quietly. Pip looked up to ask what happened, rage filling her eyes. But when she looked up. The woman was gone. Pip stood quickly, causing the nausea to act up again. Looking around, it was as if the woman was never there. All the baskets, save for the four Pip bought were gone. All the people kept walking, ignoring the girl standing on the side of the road.

"Pip!" the girl looked around at the sound of her name being called. "PI-I-I-IP!" The voice was behind her, Pip whirled around in time to see Naruto crash his way between several people, causing him to earn several agitated looks. Behind him, Chozu was running between people legs, trying not to get crushed. The poor thing leapt onto the street next to Pip cowering behind her.

"Hey Naruto." Pip looked around again, searching for the old woman. It seemed as if she just disappeared. Picking up her baskets, one of which Chozu chose to curl up in, still shaking, Pip looked around one last time. Absolutely no evidence a woman once sat there. '_It's just nerves. New place. New people with... super powers. I'm just..._' Pip attempted to convince herself it was nothing, but failed miserably. So instead she pushed all thoughts of what had just transpired in a mental box and handed Naruto a basket. By now the others had caught up and they too were handed a basket.

"You all are going to be my pack mules." Pip gave a maniacal smile causing a visible shiver to course through Naruto and Sakura. Pip smiled happily. _'I kinda like being scary'_ Kip always said Pip had and element of terror to her. _'It's your damn eyes! It's like they see into your soul!'_ Pip often exploited that element for a laugh here and there. "It's not so bad. Just carry what ever I throw in!" Pip made her way into the butchers first.

The smell of blood and bleach cleaner wafted through the store. The door closed with a soft _'ding!'. _A hefty man in a slightly bloodied plastic apron came out from a saloon style door. As it swung freely opened and closed Pip could see halves of cows hanging from meat hooks. The man grabbed a towel and began to wipe his hands off.

"Welcome! Welcome!" the man's voice was deep and invitingly cheerful, Pip couldn't help but smile just as cheerfully. "And how are you this afternoon? My names is Hideo!" The hefty man gave a deep chuckle. He was slightly balding on top, and had a thin Fu Manchu mustache, complete with the goatee.

"Hi there!" Pip practically bounced up to the chilled glass display counter. "I'm Pip and my afternoon has been wonderful so far!" the man smiled at her enthusiasm

"Well then, lets make sure we don't spoil that! Is there anything your searching for?" The man gestured to the glass display. "Anything you want?"

"I would like three shoulder petite tender medallions, a rib roast, three stacks of back ribs, two full tenderloins. Two eye round steaks. Three bottom rounds. Six flank steaks and three pounds of stewing cubes. Did you get all that?" The man in front of her howled with laughter as the teens behind her looked at her as if she were crazy. "What?" Pip asked innocently.

"You must be a cook." Pip smiled broadly closing her eyes.

"A damn good one!"

"Then I'll tell you what, I'll fresh cut all of that for you! Come back in about, oh say, thirty minutes and I'll have everything, cut, cleaned and wrapped for you."

"Thank you so much! I'll be back!" Pip skipped out the store waving her free hand, leading the teens out of the store dumbstruck. The rest of their grocery shopping was like that. Pip would go to a stall or store and order everything expertly. Team 7 were pretty much thinking the same thing, and that was _'We're eating at her place.' _Pip went back to butcher Hideo and divided the meat equally between the teens. Pip had to wake up Chozu so she could fill her basket. The raccoon climbed his way up to Pip's shoulder where he sat, draping his body limply over it. Heading to the fish monger Pip received whole fishes and and made special orders for squid, octopus, and various shell fish, paying in advance. After browsing the vendor stalls for fresh vegetables of every kind, spices, rice, and some fruits Pip noticed the weight of the basket.

"Hey Sasuke, I think it's time we headed back to my place to put the food up." It was then Pip noticed the teens struggling to hold their baskets up. All had both hands on their handles and were leaning back to support the weight. "Oh shit! I'm sorry!" Pip rushed over.

"Don't sweat Pip!" Naruto grunted, "We can handle this. We had to do this all the time when we first started."

"And I'm amazed you're not complaining about it!" A playful voice sounded behind Pip. Turning around Pip saw three men. Ibiki, who was staring down Pip, Kakashi reading his book, and a new man smiling at Naruto. He had tan skin with a scar going across his nose and brown hair in a pony tail that, like all the rest of the hair in this city, defied gravity.

"Iruka-sensei! What are you doing here?" Iruka scratched the back of his head.

"I heard about a new girl in the village and wanted to get a look for myself." He looked down at Pip and held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you." Pip took his hand and shook his hand. He had an over all feel of kindness to him.

"It's nice to meet you, too." Pip gave a dazzling smile, earning a light blush from the man in front of her. Pip looked to Ibiki. "What's up?"

"You forgot your house key." He held out a ring with two keys on it. "The apartment has electricity already, and is furnished as well...But I don't think there's enough room for all that." He gestured to the struggling teens and their baskets.

"Small fridge?"

"You rat wouldn't even fit in it.." Pip sighed.

"He's not an rat, you ass. Does anyone know of a place that sells deep freezers?"

"Why don't you guys head to your new apartment and we'll buy you a freezer." Iruka earned a glare from Ibiki at the suggestion.

"Really? Thank you!" Pip smiled and gave one armed hug to Iruka, once again getting a blush from the teacher. "Here's some money for the fridge! If it's more then that I'll pay you the difference. Lead the way, Sasuke! Hey the rhymed!" Pip began to follow the silent teen to her new apartment but stopped dead in her tracks. Turning around she sheepishly looked at Ibiki.

"Here you go, Peep." Ibiki tossed her the keys, which landed in her basket.

"My name is Pip!" Turning on her heel, the furious Irish girl left to catch up with Sasuke and company.

"She seems really nice." Iruka said, watching the girl walk away with his former students.

"She's seventeen, Iruka." Kakashi said, turning the page to his book.

"What?" Iruka looked to Ibiki, who nodded his head. "But she... and her... I feel dirty."

"You need to get out of the classroom more." Kakashi said.

"Lets just buy that fridge." Iruka began walking away from the two smirking men, before he could embarrass himself further.

"We're here." Pip looked up at her new apartment. It was in an out of the way area. The street seemed pretty desolate. The apartment was a two story, with a cream finish and navy blue trim. Chozu sat on her shoulder chittering and jingling her keys. Pip took a deep breath and walked to the door.

"Hurry and... Open the door!" Naruto grunted, struggling to hold his basket. Sakura had already set hers down on the ground and Sasuke was still holding his and almost had a look of calmness on him, save for the sweat on his brow and the glare he was giving Naruto.

"Alright, calm the fuck down." Pip took the keys from Chozu, receiving an agitated zip from him, and unlocked her door. Pip stepped in and was amazed.

The living room was open and had a large window with vertical blinds. The walls were white but the carpet was black, as well as the couch and chair. The was an empty bookshelf with built in draws next to the window and a oval coffee table, which too was black, in the center of the room. To the right there was a kitchen with a built in bar separating the kitchen and the living room. It too carried the black and white theme only in reverse. The walls were still white but the counter top was black, and the floor was a white tile with black grout. The fridge (which was just as small as Pip imagined) was white.

Directly ahead was a flight of stairs and a door that might have been a bathroom.

"Alright come on in, just set your baskets in the kitchen." Chozu jumped off Pip and ran through the house. Jumping on the black couch, then back to the floor, then up to the window causing the blinds to swing back and forth as the hellion finally calming down on the warm windowsill.

"He seems excited." Sakura said as she practically dragged her basket to the kitchen. Pip walked over and grabbed the basket, smiling to Sakura. _'Aren't ninja supposed to be strong?'_

_ "_Yeah he does. I am, too!_" _Pip opened the rather small fridge and began to stack the meats carefully. She could leave the vegetables out until she got another fridge. "This is my first place of my own!"

"Then go check it out! The guys and I can take care of this, go look around!" Sakura began to open cabinets, as Sasuke and Naruto unloaded the fruit and such.

"Really? I mean that's a lot of stuff an-"

"GO!" was the response from the loud girl. Grinning, Pip ran up the stairs to the second level. There was a small hall, if you could call it that, with three doors. Pip opened the one to the left revealing a linen closet. Closing the door Pip turned to the right, opening the door to a full bathroom. Unlike downstairs it was all white. Pip thought she would add some colour later. Pip left the door open and turned to the middle door.

Pip opened her bedroom door and gasped. Her room was huge! It even had a little balcony! Her bed was a queen size, four poster bed, the black and white the yet again. She had a dresser in the corner of the room which too was black with white handles. The carpet was a soft black shag. Pip barely held in her squeal of excitement and opted to do the mature thing...

A running start to jump on her bed.

The bed had a black comforter with a white reverse on the other side. The pillows were the same, black with a white reverse. Pip closed her eyes and stretched on her new bed, already feeling like curling up and taking a nap. Instead her thought trail to the blind women from earlier that day.

_'She said fight the storm.' _Pip grabbed her crest that hung from her neck _'What did she do? That pain was... unbearable. That voice. Those voices. The screaming...' _Pip felt her heart rate spike up. '_There was screaming! It wasn't that women it was someone else. I hope they're okay..._' Pip sat up on her bed and looked out the french doors leading to the small balcony. Standing up, Pip walked over and unlocked the doors, opening them. Though the house didn't seem very tall on the outside, from the small landing she was on, it seemed to Pip she were seven stories up. She had a wonderful view of the street and the wind felt very nice.

_'Why would Mr. Hokage give me such an... extravagant home? I mean I'm basically on probation I should be getting a beaten down shack' _Pip looked behind her to her room._ 'But hey, You won't hear my complain!'_

Looking back to the street Pip could see a trio staggering down. Though Pip could make out any faces, a moving patch of silver hair and an orange rectangle gave Pip a pretty good idea who they might be. Pip stepped into her room and closed the balcony doors before rushing down the stairs. Naruto was sitting on the couch, resting his arm on the arm rest, and his face on his fist. Sasuke was in the same position on the opposite side of the couch and Sakura was in the chair. Looking over to the kitchen, the produce was set in piles on the bar.

"Hey guys, Kakashi, Iruka and Ass are heading this way." Pip headed for the door. "I'm going out to help them, you guys stay here you've done enough." Pip smiled when she heard all of them give a collected sigh.

Pip jogged to intercept the males. As she got closer she could hear Iruka muttering to himself while carrying an end to a large box with Iruka on the other end, looking like he was going to bust out laughing. Kakashi was carrying a smaller box in one arm while, still reading that book of his.

"Hey guys." Pip called out, bringing attention to her "Need any help?"

"No! We got this! We can make it!" Iruka shouted out. Pip gave them a look as Iruka and Ibiki passed her, heading down the street to get to her home. Kakashi was standing next to her not even looking up to see the men lumber down.

"Let me guess, they won't let anyone help because of some macho ego man thing?"

"They both civilian women carrying a larger box easily." Kakashi confirmed.

"Didn't they think that maybe it was just and empty box maybe." the pair began to walk down the street.

"No." Pip sighed.

"Men." Kakashi gave a small grunt that could have been him agreeing. He held the box out to Pip.

"It's a rice maker." Pip smiled and grabbed the heavy square.

"Thanks Kakashi." Pip was about to ask what book he was reading until she heard several shouts coming from her house. Being worried something had happened Pip ran ahead of Kakashi to see what had happened.

Iruka and Ibiki were standing in her kitchen, both doing poses and shouting in victory. Poor Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke stood in the background with blank looks on there face at the show of testosterone. Pip cleared her throat loudly.

"Why are you shouting like buffoons?" Iruka turned to her and immediately dropped his pose, bringing a fist to his mouth too try and covered the embarrassed blush he developed.

"We uh... Well you see we were trying to... Hey! I see you got the rice maker! Why don't you hook it up while we find a place for the fridge." Pip gave a drawn out 'uh huh' before walking to Sakura.

"I think Its time we go clothes shopping." Sakura's face lit up.

"CHYAH!" Sakura jumped up and grabbed Pips arm. "We'll be back boys!" Sakura dragged Pip down the street past a chuckling Kakashi. _'I don't want to be dragged anymore.'_

Pip had had it. Sakura was a nice girl, a little violent with Naruto (but the again what girl isn't violent), but if Pip heard her say **'**_Sasuke-__**kun**_**' **one more time, Pip was going to loose it. _'There's a nice wood chipper down the street,' _Pip thought as the pink haired girl piled more clothes on top of the mountain that was already in Pip's arm _'If I just... push her in she'd be gone.' _

While Pip may have enjoyed food shopping, clothes shopping was a whole different story. Pip had told Sakura she only wanted to be gone a max of thirty minutes. Sakura agreed and asked Pip what her home was like. It was difficult to try and explain, Pip eventually gave up and said she'd just have to see it some day. Since then Sakura had been raving about Sasuke and raging about Naruto and some girl named Ino.

"...-And then she called me Billboard Brow again! Again! That Pig is just jealous because I'm on the same team as Sasu-"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP YOU INSUFFERABLE FOOL!" Pip shouted at the girl, causing her to stop midway from pulling out another lightly coloured top. "Jesus Christ! Sakura, really! He's a _BOY! _There are hundreds of thousands of millions of boys all around the world! He's not the best! He's not the cutest! He's just like any other child on Earth! And STOP about Naruto! Yes I'm sure he can be a pain but you know what? You're being a bigger pain in my ass!"

Pip voice began to take on an Irish accent. She only ever got it when she was angry. It was always a dead give away. Pip had thrown down the pile of close and had her fists clenched at her side. Sakura had brought up an arm to her chest and looked like she was about to cry. Pip sighed and ran a hand through her hair, causing strays to fly out of the braid.

"I'm sorry. It's just come on." Pip held out a hand in a gesture of peace. "I'm not really much of a girly girl so talking about boys doesn't make me _giddy. _I'm sure you can relate when Naruto talks about ramen." Sakura got a look of understanding on her face.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm sorry it's just nice to have another girl around, besides Ino. All the other girls kinda just do their own thing."

"Come on, get the clothes you want and we'll just head back okay?" Sakura shook her head.

"No you need clothes. There's a store that may be just your style." Leaving the mess of clothes on the boutiques floor, Pip left and went down the street. Sakura had been right. All the clothes were sturdy, durable, and dark. Pip bought a several tank tops, cargo pants and even some sports bras and fishnets. It was all pretty decently priced, too. Stopping on the way to buy soap and stuff for the bathroom on the way home, the two spent an hour out.

The two walked into Pip's home with bags in there hands, smiling widely as if they known each other forever. The guys had set up the refrigerator and had put all the veggies and fruits in. The three older men sat on the couch while Sasuke sat in the chair and Naruto on the floor, playing with Chozu.

"Hey, you guys have fun?" Pip asked dropping her bags on the floor. Ibiki stood up and walked to the door. Pip noticed he had several scratches on his arms and face. Pip gave Ibiki a questioning look only to receive a glare in return.

"I hate your rat." He left slamming the door. Pip turned to Kakashi, raising an eyebrow.

"He opened your window and Chozu jumped up and attacked him out of surprise." Pip busted out laughing. She picked up the raccoon and nuzzled him close to her chest.

"You're such a good boy!" the raccoon squealed out in glee.

"You're happy that he attack Ibiki?" Iruka asked.

"That ass is an ass!" Pip laughed, setting the raccoon on Naruto's head and flopping down on her couch between the two men.

"Thanks for you're help today guys. I'm gonna hold off on buying a weapon until I start practicing. I don't want to accidentally cut myself." Pip yawned and leaned back in her seat. "I don't want to sound rude, but I'm really tired..." everyone but poor Naruto got the hint.

"We'll leave you alone then, come on guys, dinner on me!" Iruka said smiling.

"But I don't want to leave!" Naruto whined, getting dragged by Sakura out the door. With a chorus of farewells, they shut her door, leaving Pip by herself. Pip hefted herself up the stairs to her bed, and without taking off her clothes, fell face first onto the bed and went to sleep. Chozu curled up by her neck and dozed off as well.

Both failed to notice the shadows flicker and disappear from around her bed...

I'm sorry that things seem to be moving slowly. I hate that like many other people. I hope you enjoyed this chapter (I really didnt lol) Ill be coming out with six soon. Thank you for all the reviews. I love you all!


	6. When It Begins Remake

_When It Begins..._

Pip woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. The ginger had had another night tremor. Pip scratched the back of her head in frustration already knowing she wouldn't be able to go to sleep for the rest of the night. Slipping out of the covers, Pip made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She opened nearly all the cabinet doors looking for a small red tin filled with tea bags she bought from a small family owned spice stall.

She found the small tin and was about to open it until she realized she didn't have any cups. Grumbling in disdain she slammed the closest cabinet door and trudged upstairs to the bathroom. She turned the water on full blast and began to strip out of her clothes. Sitting in the bathroom now and not just a passing glance Pip could smell the scent of bleach lingering in the air. She shrugged it off as Pip stepped into the stream of hot water and closed her eyes in relaxation. Well almost relaxation. Pip couldn't help but feel as if someone was watching her.

Pip sat herself on the bath tub floor and turned the water to the coldest setting. Pip hissed as the frigid water stroked her back but soon she got used to it and smiled at the feeling. _'I think I'll go for a run with Chozu.' _Smiling at her thought Pip gripped the side of the tub and hefted herself up. Pip cut the water off and walked over her clothes and downstairs to grab the bags of clothes she purchased yesterday.

Pip felt herself shivering from the cold air and the drops of cold water that still lingered on her body. Pip turned the light on as she walked into her room waking up Chozu who immediately dug his way underneath the bedspread. Pip dumped the contents onto the bed and began picked out the things that would be too hot or to restricting for a run. In the end she settled for a pair of black shorts that went to her knees, and a deep red sports bra. Slipping on the clothes she walked over to the lightly snoring lump in her bed.

"Chozu, wake up, wanna go outside?" The lump moved and wiggled its way out of the covers, Chozu's fur sticking out at every angle. His bandana had flipped over his head, making a faux-hat. Pip smoothed the bandana back down and patted Chozu on the head. "Let's go." Pip made her way downstairs with her raccoon, and slipped on her socks and shoes before heading out the door. Pip stretched her legs with Chozu began to chase after something that Pip couldn't see in the dim light of the moon. Pip started down the street at a light pace, Chozu a few paces behind her. Pip didn't even make it down the street before a most unwelcome voice resounded in her ear.

"Trying to escape, Perk?" Pip turned her head as she came to a stop, facing Ibiki who was standing in the middle of the street, arms crossed glaring at Pip.

"Oh yes, I'm escaping into a land I don't know, with nothing to protect me from the elements and no food or water." Pip rolled her eyes. "Great escape plan, huh?" Ibiki uncrossed his arms and walked up next to her.

"Then what are you doing up at four in the morning?" Chozu bounded towards the man and started to growling at Ibiki's leg.

"Ehh, I couldn't sleep. Just felt like a jog would be nice." Pip stretched her arms above her head watching as Chozu began to jump at Ibiki, then back away and jump again, making an odd barking noise. Ibiki merely sneered at Chozu.

"Would you like to come with me to make sure I don't run off... and help me find my way back if I get lost." Pip laughed at her own jest, but the stoic Ibiki remained silent. Pip sighed. "Well I'm going to jog, come along if you want too."

With that Pip started off at a decent pace, heading down the street. A few seconds later, she saw the interrogation at her side. Chozu came bounding over and stood in between the two. Every few seconds he'd look over to the man and give off a slight warning growl.

The two ran for some time in a somewhat comfortable silence, save for Chozu's growls. Pip broke the silence as they turned a corner.

"Hey, Ass?" Ibiki grunted in acknowledgment "Why did Hokage give me such a nice place?"

"Do you want to know the real reason?"

"I asked didn't I?" Pip gave a slightly arrogant look.

"There are a few reasons. One, its close to my place. There for I can check up on you to make sure your not plotting anything."

"Oh joy." Pip said sarcastically.

"Two, the last person to live there killed himself in the bathroom. He actually bought the place off. Didn't owe anything on it so it was actually a cheaper option for us then to put you in a hotel or something. Just give you cash for clothes and shit which was the HOKAGE'S charity for you." Ibiki emphasized on Hokage showing Pip she pronounced his title wrong.

"Killed himself... that's why it smelled like bleach!" Ibiki nodded.

"Three... That reasons' more personal to the Hokage." Pip cocked her head as they past a house with a pretty fountain in the front yard.

"Personal. Why personal?" Ibiki didn't say anything. Pip took it as a sign to just shut up and run. Ibiki however began to think back earlier on that evening.

_ Ibiki had just left the new girl, _Pip's, _new apartment. He was in a foul mood. First he stayed up all night discussing, and arguing over the same topic over and over again with the Hokage, He just got attacked by a fucking rat! And now he has to go see the Hokage again for what could turn out to be an all nighter. Again._

_ Ibiki nodded to the two guards that stood watch over the Hokage's personal residence. Ibiki came to a pair of double doors and knocked loudly. The elderly man's voice gave the command to enter, which Ibiki, like any good ninja, followed. _

_ The strong smell of tobacco hung heavily in the air even though the window was open. Sarutobi stood slightly hunched over a large Chrystal ball. A slightly distorted image of Pip could be seen talking to Kakashi and his team._

_ "She seems to get along well with Naruto." Sarutobi commented taking a long drag from his pipe. Ibiki stepped forward and looked along with the Hokage._

_ "Sir, why have you called me?" Ibiki asked, trying not o sound rude or impatient with the elder man._

_ "Don't worry Ibiki, I'm not going to keep you up all night." Ibiki almost let out a sigh of relief. "I just need to to fill out these papers on our new guest." at that Ibiki did sigh, just not in relief._

_ "Okay." Ibiki took a seat at the comer of the Hokage's desk and began to fill in the blanks. After about fifteen minutes Ibiki finally broke the silence._

_ "Sir. I know I cant change your mind on tutoring Pip. But I just want to ask... why?" For quite some time The Hokage didn't answer, Ibiki assumed he wasn't going to and just resumed his work._

_ "Orochimaru left around this time..." Came the long delayed reply. Ibiki looked up and saw the man had a glazed look in his eye as he stared out the window. "I've never... forgiven myself. I knew he was doing something, and even when I was confronted with him red handed I didn't do anything... I think.. maybe... just maybe This might redeem myself in my eyes. I know I've protected the village... I know I've done thing for others... but this..." Ibiki watched as the man in front of him seemed to age years at these words..._

_ "This is for myself." Ibiki nodded and continued with his work, leaving the man to his thoughts._

Pip jumped when she finally heard Ibiki's gravely voice.

"We've been running for an hour. Let's head back. I'm tired and don't want to risk you escaping through the forest." Pip nodded and turned on her heel. Chozu, who had been slowing down for some time now plopped down on the sidewalk. Legs and arms spread eagle. Pip laughed at the pitiful sight and reached down to pick him up. Chozu let out a pitiful growl at Ibiki before nuzzling Pip's arm and fell asleep.

Pip and Ibiki began to walk back towards pips home, though by a different route. _'Most likely a shortcut.' _Pip thought to herself. The two walked in silence until Ibiki broke it.

"Where's your parents?" Pip raised an eyebrow at the question but answered anyway.

"Dead. My dad was a cop and was shot while on duty. My mom was devastated. She had me that day when she found out. The stress and shock of his death sent her into early labor. I was a month and a half early." Pip sighed and looked up at the sky. "My mom suffered a severe case of postpartum depression. Two months after my birth she OD on some prescription meds. My grandfather found us the next morning. I was in her arms when she died." Ibiki didn't say anything and neither did Pip for sometime. When Pip's street came into view Ibiki mumbled under his breath.

"Sorry, Pip." Pip shrugged.

"Tis nothing.." Pip walked up to her door and turned to Ibiki, who was in his old arms crossed stance. "Sometime I feel like I can remember her holding me in her arms, singing to me. When I'm really sad, I'd like to think that I can here the song again... Well goodnight, thanks for the walk."

"Night, Pirp." Ibiki poofed away in front of a stunned Pip. Gritting her teeth, Pip muttered out her name and walked into her house. The sun was just beginning to rise, so Pip figured she get something to eat. Setting Chozu onto the counter, Pip grabbed some apples and washed them off in the sink. Pip placed one in front of Chozu who was still asleep on the counter, and bit into her, juice running down her face. Pip opened the blind letting in some sunlight into the living room.

Finishing off her apple, Pip lied herself onto the couch and not ever realizing it, drifted off into a light sleep.

Its had been almost a three and a half weeks after that walk with Ibiki. Pip had been training a bit with Ibiki, with team seven and Kakashi, but the training Pip enjoyed most of all, was with The Hokage. Or as he preferred to be called Sarutobi-Sensei. Pip was beginning to see him in a grandfatherly way. He even introduced Pip to his grandson Konohamaru. Well more like Konohamaru ran into the room The Hokage and Pip were training, went to attack The Hokage and Pip freaking out, hit Konohamaru on the back of the head with some scroll that was lieing next to Pip.

The poor boy fell to the ground. Pip went over to see in he was okay, and all Konohamaru did was point at her and call her a Demon, and say that she was now his rival. Sarutobi just chuckled as Pip tried to calm the boy down. Konohamaru did calm down, but whenever Pip gets angry or frustrated during training (which he always seemed to want to watch), he'd call her Demon again. Which just made Pip more angry. Pip was beginning to think he was doing it on purpose.

There was some trouble with training at first. Even though Pip had memorized the hand signs, with some difficulty, she could even do a simple transformation. The Hokage called in a girl named Hinata to look for Pip's... Chakra. Apparently she had something wrong with her Chakra network.

Explained a lot apparently. So instead of focusing on ninjutsu so much, they turned to weapons and taijutsu. Pip went off to buy weapons with Hinata one day. Pip and Hinata really hit it off. Hinata explained more about the duties of ninjas to the villages and to other countries. Pip would talk about her home a lot. Pip felt at ease around the shy girl. Sometimes even Hinata would start talking without her stutter being so prominent.

Once when Pip was training at one of the fields, she was throwing shurikens, Pip saw Sasuke watching her with a glare. Pip gave a short friendly wave and went back to throwing. Her aim was always off. Pip got really frustrated with it and through rest on the ground with a angry gasp of air.

"Your stance is wrong." Pip looked up and over to Sasuke who had his hands in his pockets.

"My stance?" Pip asked turning towards the normally quiet boy. Sasuke walked over and pulled out a shuriken of his own.

"When your throwing a shuriken, you don't just throw with your arm. When you do that you get less power into the throw, and your aim will be off. Use your whole body when you throw. You'll get more power and your aim won't be as off." Sasuke demonstrated the way to move your body as he spoke. Pip tried to follow along. She twisted her body along with her arm. Her aim was still a bit off, but the weapon dug itself into the wooden target deeper then her previous throws.

"Holy shit! I can be deadly!" Pip laughed as she throw another one. Sasuke clicked his tongue to his teeth.

"No not deadly, but at least you won't be as much dead weight as Naruto." Pip furrowed her brow and turned to Sasuke.

"You know, it's not how good you are at something. It's how much effort you put into it. Naruto puts so much effort into being a great ninja, that even you have to at least respect it. If not him, then at least his effort." Sasuke glared slightly at pip in contemplation, then, with a hm of dissatisfaction, walked off. Pip growled to herself and throw the shuriken that she was holding at the target.

Bulls eye.

Taijutsu is what Pip loved most. Pip met a boy named Lee, who like her, couldn't use his chakra. But he never seemed short on energy. He quite literally ran into her one day when he was challenging himself, or so he said. All of a sudden an older version of the boy did that smoke, poof thing all ninjas seemed to able to do. He yelled out something about the youth of the generation, cried a bit then poofed away.

Lee smiled happily and invited Pip to a spar. Pip lost so badly, Lee said he felt like he needed to show Pip the basics. So for the rest of the day Lee and Pip got to know each other. Pip had to say though. He was very energetic...

Fights with Naruto the best. He was so eager and happy that Pip couldn't help but start to giggle while they fought, which Naruto would gladly join in. Their 'battles' often ended up with them on the ground in a laughing fit. Naruto had taken it upon himself to introduce Pip to all the people Naruto knew. There was a boy named Neji, that Pip didn't mind too much, if he didn't look so arrogant. Tenten, who would often give Pip extra shurikins. (Pip often throw them with a little too much force and lost them even with the pointers Sasuke gave her.).

Pip often saw Kabuto too, and would talk to him as nicely as possible. Most the time Kabuto would flirt with her, and Pip would jokingly flirt back. Pip got over her initially dislike of him, but still couldn't shake the feeling she had about him. Pip often hung out with Iruka as well, who, too would flirt with her, by being overly nice, or maybe he was nice.

Ibiki and Pip would often walk at night with Ibiki. Most nights Pip would tell him too about her home, and in turn Ibiki wouldn't kick Chozu when the little hellion would claw at his legs.

Pip was cutting up some steak into small thin pieces for a makeshift Philly cheese steak sandwich when there was knock at the door.

"Coming!" Pip shouted as she rinsed her hands in the sink. "No." Pip looked pointedly at Chozu, who had been eying the raw steak. Opening the door, Pip was greeted by the faces of Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, Lee, Hinata, Kakashi and Ibiki.

"...I'm going to need more steak." Pip said as she moved to the side to let everyone in. "Not that I don't want your company, but I didn't expect so many people here." In truth Pip only invited Lee Hinata and Naruto, for a small dinner get together. Ibiki eyed Chozu as he spoke.

"Kakashi and I would like to talk to you in private." Pip nodded.

"Chozu." the raccoon looked up with a piece of meat stuffed in it's mouth. Pip sighed. "Is that the only one you touched?" Chozu nodded. "Go play with Lee." Chozu hopped down the counter and bounded over to Lee. Lee laughed excitedly as Chozu stood on his hind legs and attempted a good guy pose along with Lee. Pip walked into the kitchen and grabbed another flank of steak.

"What are you making?" Kakashi asked.

"Food."

"What kind of food?" Kakashi pressed. Pip sighed set the knife down and looked at Kakashi with a dull look.

"The edible kind." Kakashi deadpanned and went back to his book. _'Score one for Pip!'_

"Pip we have to tell you something." Ibiki said. Pip continued cutting, but nodded. "There is a test for ninja to rank up. Even though you haven't been training for too long the Hokage thinks you should make the decision yourself. It will be very hard, and ninjas that have been training for years will be there. And there is a chance you could die." Pip smiled.

"Is that hint of fear and worry I detect from you Ibiki?" the interrogationist scoffed. "I'll do it." Ibiki's eyes widened, just a small fraction.

"Are you deaf or stupid?"

"Neither. I don't expect to pass the test, but I think It will do good too see what Id have to do to be a ninja. I've never been on a mission before. And if I do take the test again, Ill have some kind of idea what to do." Ibiki actually looked impressed with her answer. Kakashi closed his book.

"Well guess Ill tell my team about it too. See if they want to do it as well. You'll need one to enter Pip." Pip looked oddly at Kakashi. "Your going to be on my team."

"When do they start?" Pip asked.

"In one week.".

It was the day before the first test of the chunnin exams, and Pip was EXTREMELY nervous. Training with Kakashi and Sarutobi had intensified, at Pips request, and every night Pip went home, she had new scratches and was even more exhausted every night. She had even stopped her nightly walks with Ibiki. Today she was working at Ichiraku's, and it was busier then ever.

Nonstop orders, a steady stream of dirty bowls, and Chozu sneaking in from the back door to get food from the kitchen made for a stressful day.. Finally Mr. Ichiraku himself popped up behind a disheveled Pip and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"You can go home now. Lunch rush is over and you need your rest for tomorrow." Pip gave a grateful smiled and sighed in relief. "Here's your pay." Ichiraku handed Pip a coin purse for of her pay. Pip snatched her pay, gave a wave and gleefully jumped over the counter to freedom. Chozu, who had been relaxing in the sun on top of the building, hopped dawn and trotted proudly next to Pip.

Pip was walking along imagining the rest of her day filled with a bubble bath, and sleep when she heard someone yell out.

"Hey! Let me go!" Pip cocked her head to the side. _"That sounded like Konohamaru!" _Pip's eyes widen at the thought of Konohamaru being hurt. She ran off in the direction of the yell. When Pip bounded around a corner for the third time she saw Naruto, Sakura, some girl with four pigtails, and a man in full black holding Konohamaru by his scarf.

Anger flared up deep inside Pip and she could feel his nails digging deep into her palm, while her whole body shook. Chozu began to growl, his fur standing on end. Pip's vision began to to turn red, she could see Naruto talking but couldn't hear his words.

"Let 'im go..." Pip said as she stepped slowly towards the man, here Irish brogue seeping from her voice. Then man looked over to her with and inquisitive glance. Konohamaru looked over to Pip and reached out towards her.

Pip was slightly hunched over, arms bowed out, and hair askew. Chozu was walking back and forth in front of her glaring at the man in black and hissing slightly.

"Demon girl!" Konohamaru called out. "Kick his butt and save me!" The man laughed and looked to Pip.

"Her? Beat me up? She doesn't even have a hai-ate. What's she gonna d-" Pip grabbed a shuriken from her back pocket and throw it at the man. The man dodged it, but dropped Konohamaru in the process. He was holding his wrist as well. Pip glanced slightly and could see Sasuke standing on a tree branch leaning against the trunk, tossing a small; pebble in his hand. Konohamaru scrambled over to Pip and clung to her shirt.

"Kankuro..." a dull monotone voice said "Your acting like a disgrace to the village." Pip looked over with a glare and saw a boy hanging upside down from a tree branch. Kankuro suddenly looked very scared.

"Sorry, Gaara." Gaara was suddenly surrounded by a cloud of what looked like sand and poofed (as all ninjas could do apparently) in front of the two ninjas. Sasuke jumped out of the tree. Sasuke began to interrogate the three ninjas, but Pip didn't really listen.

"You okay?" Pip asked Konohamaru, as she got on one knee to get eye level with him.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Pip smiled and gave him some money.

"Go on and buy some candy." Konohamaru smiled at Pip, Pip smiled back. Chozu jumped over to Pips shoulder and hit her on the cheek. "What, Chozu?" The raccoon nodded to the direction of the three ninjas.

She stood up and faced them. Looking to the red head, Gaara was his name, she raised and eyebrow, and stepped in front of Konohamaru slightly as protection.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Who are you?" Pip smiled slightly at the simple question.

"I'm Pip. Sorry for attacking your friend, but I have to protect this brat here." the man in black didn't make eye contact when Pip looked at him. Gaara looked at the little boy the back at Pip.

"Why?" Pip gave a confused look.

"Because I care for him, no matter how much he may grate my nerves." Konohamaru laughed nervously while he rubbed the back of his head. Gaara stared at Pip and the others blankly before turning away and addressing his teammates.

"Lets go." Pip ran up to Gaara and the others. Chozu gave a little zip-squeal and jumped off Pip's shoulder and bounded over the red head.

"Hey wait!" Pip rushed over to Chozu and nearly ran into the red head. Chozu ran between Gaara's legs and stood in front of him staring at him intently. Gaara stopped and glared at the animal. Chozu began to rummage through the purple bandana around his neck and produced a little berry like the one he fed Pip when she was out in the forest.

Gaara stared at the berry with hatred, as Pip bounded around Gaara to pick the raccoon up.

"Sorry! Chozu usually doesn't do that." Chozu was still staring at Gaara urging his paw with the berry towards Gaara's direction. Pip laughed. "He's trying to give you the berry, as a token of friendship!" Pip looked at Gaara, who's eyes were intently looking at the berry.

"Friendship?" Gaara asked, more to himself then to Pip. Kankuro and the girl next to him ,shared a scared look.

"Look, just take the berry," Pip whispered to Gaara, "I don't need a sad raccoon at home. It kinda bums me out." Gaara glared at Pip and in a rush of sand, disappeared. Chozu made a said little whimper and Pip sighed.

"Come on Chozu, lets go home." With that Pip turned her back on the two other ninjas and walked home.

It was the dead of night, and Chozu, like any good nocturnal animal was awake and anxious. He had his own little mission to complete. Looking at his friend, sleeping soundly in her bed, he wriggled his way out of the blankets and to the balcony door. Jumping as hard as he could, he grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open.

The moon was bright, even though it wasn't full. Chozu sniffed the air, and caught a familiar scent. Hoping to the balcony rail, Chozu bounded off on the roof tops toward the sent. Dogs would bark when they caught scent of him, but he didn't slow down. Chozu caught sight of a figure sitting on a rooftop far from home.

Bounding over he stopped a few feet from the boy. Chozu pulled out another berry from his collar. Chozu shuffled forward and looked at the boy. The red head looked over to Chozu with a blank look.

"You." the boy said blandly. Chozu held out the berry and gave a animalistic grin. The boy sat there for a few minutes staring at the berry, until finally, hesitantly, he took the berry from Chozu. The raccoon squealed fro joy and bounded over to Gaara.

Chozu snuggled up next to Gaara's leg and yawned. Gaara looked oddly at the raccoon, and began to juggle the idea of killing the thing right then and there. But on a whim... merely a whim... Decided to let him live. Chozu grinned to himself and fell asleep, next to his new friend...

.

.

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So this is the remake. Thank you The-DML. You were right, this was rushed. So I redid it. GAARAS FINALLY IN IT. Yes he is OOC. If he wasn't Chozu would of died. Ill have him more in character in the next chapters. Updates will be slow, as you know, but hopefully they will pick up. Thank you for sticking with me. All of you thank you.

-Shikyokage742.


	7. Friends and Foes

_**Foreword: I know that I muddle up dialogue when it comes from the show. I do it on purpose. I don't like copypasta, and I'm sure you don't too. So if you find dialogue that is different then what the show/manga has remember, it's on purpose.**_

_Friend and Foe..._

Pip woke up before the sun had even risen. Groggy, but unable to fall back asleep, she slid out of bed and stumbled in the dark to her bathroom. Hitting the wall until her hand found the switch, Pip scowled and hissed as the light burned her eyes. It took a few minutes to have her eyes adjust but eventually they did. Turning the shower on, she stepped in and stood there until she felt more awake, and a little less grouchy. Pip sighed more in apathy then irritation. Today was the start of the exams and honestly Pip was starting to regret her decision to join. She was sore, and bruised and sick to her stomach, but that may be the lack of food. She hadn't been eating as much as she used to. And in the time she had been training, lost almost all her body fat. She had been craving something for a long time now and she just couldn't put her finger on it. Facing the water she began to sigh again...

What she hadn't been paying attention to was that her face was directly under the water... until she starting to cough up the scalding water. Then it hit her!

"Oh _GOD_ YES!" Pip Jumped out the shower, barley turning it off in the processes. Running to her room she started to shiver from an unexpected breeze. Looking around she noticed her door to the balcony was slightly open. Closing it without thinking, she went to get dressed for the day. Simple black cargo pants and a black shirt. Nothing to fancy but they were comfy and durable, just in case they did anything extreme... Which ninja tend always to do.

She was just slipping on her shoes when she heard pounding at her door. Rushing down the stairs she opened the door to see Naruto standing in front of her, looking a lot more tired but altogether glad to see Pip.

"Hey, random question, do you have a thermos?" Pip asked as she pulled the willing Naruto in the house and fled to her kitchen, rummaging throw the cabinets.

"Umm yeah, I have one but I never use it, ramen comes in cups so there's no need for it." Naruto leaned against the wall staring at Pip tiredly.

"Can you do that cloney thing and grab it." Pip's face lit up as she grabbed the little red tin from down the top shelf.

"Okay..." There was that odd poof sound and footsteps running away. "Why though?" Pip grinned wide.

"I've been feeling kinda... blah lately and I didn't know why. But then it hit me!" Pip pulled out a few tea bags "I used to drink tea everyday, and I haven't in a while." Pip began to chuckle heartily.

"I'm having tea withdrawals." The sound of rushing footsteps were heard again, and the clone Naruto came running in, huffing and grinning as he held out the thermos. When Pip grabbed the thermos from the clone it just vanished in smoke, causing Pip to jump. Walking to the sink she let the water run until it was hot, then filled the thermos up, placed the tea bags in, and closed the top. Shaking the container she looked over to Naruto. _'This will have to make do for _now.'

"So what's up?" Pip asked as Naruto yawned a bit.

"We're suppose to meet up with Sakura and _Sasuke_" Naruto almost spit out the word Sasuke in contempt. Pip pulled out a few carrots, an apple, and a bag of home-made jerky the little family owned spice stall Pip had bought her tea from. She stuffed all the food into a small bag and put them in her pocket. It felt a little bulky on her side, but she didn't plan for the food to be there all day.

"We better get going then. Just let me get Chozu." Naruto nodded. Pip half ran up the stairs to her room. The sun was just now starting to peek over the tree line, giving the world a pinkish glow. Walking to her bed Pip leaned down to the bump near the pillow.

"Wake up Chozu, I have jerky for you." The bump didn't show signs of moving. Pip rolled her eyes a bit and grabbed her blanket by the corner.

"I know you're nocturnal but you can sleep on the wa-" Pip cut herself off when she pulled the blanket back. Chozu wasn't under the blanket. Pip checked under the bed the bathroom, even the windowsill downstairs. Chozu wasn't anywhere.

"Whats wrong?" Naruto asked, looking a little more worried then tired. Pip furrowed her brow in worry.

"I can't find Chozu. He wasn't in bed, not under it, not anywhere." Pip ran her hand through her hair. She began tapping her hand against her thigh in worry.

"He's probably just out getting more berries or something." Naruto said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Pip sighed and grabbed the thermos off the counter.

"We're going to be late." Pip walked out the door without Naruto and looked around. She jumped when she heard Naruto shout behind her.

"CHOZU?!" Pip and Naruto looked at each, and Pip smiled.

"CHOZU!" They both shouted out the little raccoons' name, only stopping until their voices were raw. They came upon Sasuke and Sakura without really realizing it. They were both looking decently rested, and a little miffed.

"Why are you yelling, idiot?" Sakura muttered, her eye twitching. Pip snapped a glare at her.

"He's helping me look for Chozu, he wasn't home." Sakura looked a little hurt by the Gingers reaction but she apologized.

"He'll turn up." Sasuke said.

"It speaks once more!" Pip said sarcastically. Sasuke gave her a light glare. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried. He's all I got from home." Sakura looked at her understandingly and put a hand on her shoulder.

"He'll turn up, he has to. Sasuke said so." Pip was too worried to even roll her eyes at the Pink hair girls antics. The four started off, Pip and Naruto kept on calling Chozu's name every once and a while, while Sasuke and Sakura stayed silent. They only stopped shouting when they saw more and more ninja.

Pip felt her stomach drop. She hadn't realized how nervous she really was. Doubt began to creep in on her, making her gulp loudly. Naruto seemed to sense her worry, and nudged her in the ribs. When Pip looked over Naruto was smiling at her, his big goofy grin. Something about that grin just seemed to make her feel so much more at ease and ready.

"Once this is over, I'll treat you to Ichiraku. All on me, as much as you want." Pip ruffled Naruto's hair as the blondes eyes sparkled with joy and determination.

"ALRIGHT!" Naruto whooped in celebration as Pip confidently walked into the building, her team following some distance behind her.

Walking up the stairs, Pip's thoughts wondered back to Chozu. _'Maybe he's just out collecting berries... he does that when I'm hurt and worried... Thank god he doesn't bring me cookies... I'd be fat.' _Pip was snapped out of her musings when she saw a flash of green hitting the floor.

"Lee!" Pip ran over to is side. Tenten also crouched down nest to him, staring up at the assailants "Are you okay?" Two men stood shoulder to shoulder, haughtily looking down at Lee.

"You really think you're gonna get by us? Or even compete in the Chuunin Exams?" One said grinning.

"Honestly it'd be better if you brats quit now." The other male scoffed and added.

"Newbies." Pip felt a flare of anger but kept her eyes on Lee, not wanting to start something this early in the exams.

"Lee, please, are you hurt?" Lee looked over and gave a small smile.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Another punch rang through the hall, as Pip looked up to see Tenten fall right beside Lee. Now Pip was getting angry. Her nails were nearly tearing at Lee shoulder as Pip saw a faint red mark on Tenten's cheek. Some ninja at Pip's left muttered something along the lines of 'That's...mean.'

"Mean? Were doing you a favor!" One of the assholes blocking the door said, false hurt in his voice. "We've seen plenty of ninja quit. We've seen ninja who we're completely disable for life Just from taking these exams." Pip felt a a little shudder of doubt make to her stomach. It didn't settle well with her.

Pip heard footsteps approaching and looked back to see her 'team'. _'Took you guys long enough!'_ Sasuke was glaring at the two men at the door. Sakura looked like just got back from a funeral and Naruto looked determined. Pip smiled just a bit. One of the men was saying something about weeding out ninjas when Sasuke stepped forward.

"A reasonable argument, but you will let me through. Also undo the genjutsu you have set up, I have business on the third floor." Someone directly behind Pip muttered, 'What is he talking about.'

Pip couldn't have said it better herself. Looking up, the sign said 301.

The two men at the door lost the haughty looks and slightly glared at Sasuke...

"So you noticed." Sasuke turned to Sakura who still looked like she was depressed beyond all reason.

"Well Sakura? You should've been the first to notice." Sakura looked up in surprise. Sasuke continued. "You have the most analytical mind here, and you're genjutsu knowledge has improved most in our team." Pip looked at Sasuke, _'Is he... He's giving a compliment to Sakura?...'_

Sakura looked surprised, but she smile and muttered a small thank you to Sasuke. When she looked up and new look of determination was set on her features. Pip finally understood. _'He just boosted her confidence up like twenty notches... Way to not be an ass!'_

"Of course I noticed! This is the second floor." Naruto gave a little hmm of agreement. Pip's vision twisted and suddenly 301 was now 201. One of the men glared fully at Sasuke...

"All you've done is notice a simple genjutsu... How do you fend against this!" Then man went to attack Sasuke. Sasuke began to ready himself for a counterattack when all of a sudden a green blur appear between the two, stopping both their attacks mid air. Lee stood between Sasuke and the guy from the door, Holding them apart with ease...

_'But he was just... That little faker!'_ Pip smiled a little. Lee looked back with a ferocity Pip only saw when he was serious. Sasuke looked shacked as he stared at Lee's arm. Neji stepped forward with Tenten.

"This wasn't the plan. You were the first one to say we shouldn't be attracting any attention." Pip stood up and laughed a bit. Lee, the genius. Lee was walking over to Sakura when Pip felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking back she saw Kakashi, a finger to his lips, pulling her away from her team and friends. Pip looked at her friends but began to walk away. They were busy watching Lee announce his love of Sakura. _'Poor Lee... He's gonna get get hurt by her.' _but Pip knew he'd pull through, twice as determined to show his admiration. Kakashi led her up some stairs and into room marked 307.

A man and two teenagers were sitting at a table. The older man had long brown hair pulled into a braid, his skin was tanned, probably from years of missions. When he looked at he Pip held back a gasp, his left eye had a thick jagged scar running down the length of his face, his eye was white. The scar made the left half of his face look like a permanent scowl, even his lip seemed lopsided and angry.

But the right half, had a rich chocolate coloured eye that glittered with kindness and a hint of playfulness, the right side of his face smiling at her.

"Tsubaki, this is Pip. Pip this is the team you'll be competing with." Kakashi announced lazily, as he pulled a book out thin air.

"What? I thought you said I'd be registered with Naruto and the other?" Kakashi sighed and turned a page.

"You were. But some of the other senseis found that a four man squad was a little unfair. So The Hokage asked Tsubaki here if it was okay for you to join their squadron. Just for the exams." Pip looked over to the two teenage boys, one seemed to be ignoring her, while the other just offered a meek smile and looked back at his teammate. Tsubaki opened his arms and began to speak.

"We had a mission a while back and unfortunately our teammate saw some things she just couldn't cope with, she resigned from any further mission and quit her shinobi career. It took courage for her to do it, but she is much happier now." Tsubaki looked to Pip and held out a hand. "We know your new to all of this, and we haven't any experience with you on our team, but I've heard good things about you, and if push comes to shove you can always use Kon back there as a human shield."

The teen boy who seemed to ignoring you looked up at Tsubaki, his green eyes narrowing as he glared at his sensei.

"HEY! There is no way I'm being human shield. I'm already bait, pack mule, and punching bag! Let Hideo be the shield." Kon ran a hand though his short black hair before nudging Hideo with his shoulder. Hideo gulped and looked over at Pip. He actually looked a lot like Kon with black hair and green eyes, but his longer hair was pulled into a small quin, and he had a pair of thin rimmed glasses that just gave him an innocent look.

He gave another meek smile. "I don't mind helping to protect her if she needs it." Tsubaki gave a laugh and slapped Pip on the back.

"You see already they like you!" Pip looked at Kakashi who seemed enthralled with his book, the back at Tsubaki.

"Okay. If this is what the Hokages wants, then I'll do it." Pip held out her hand to Hideo who's cheeks tinted as he grabbed her hand.

"My names Pip. And this is-" Pip cut herself off as she realized Chozu wasn't there. Hideo gave her an expectant look. "Sorry. I actually can't haven't seen Chozu since last night."

"Chozu?" Hideo asked still grasping her hand, eyebrows raised slightly.

"My pet raccoon. He snuck off last night and I haven't seen him since." Kon scoffed.

"Damn already she's lost something! Or maybe he wanted to get away from you." Pip's eyes snapped over to Kon, a malicious glare directed right at him. Kon gave a little gulp. Hideo gave a nervous laugh.

"Maybe he just went out into the forest to scavenge, or a dumpster, or-" Kon lightly smacked Hideo on the back of the head, which caused him to finally let go of Pip's hand, to hold his head.

"Shut up Hideo. You ramble too much." Hideo began to apologize profusely which just seemed to make Kon even more angry. Soon Kon was yelling at Hideo, and Hideo just seemed to apologize more. Pip slowly backed away from the two boys and stood between Tsubaki and Kakashi.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Pip wondered aloud. Tsubaki laughed and gave Pip another clap on the back.

"You've just entered Squadron 13. Team Tsubaki." Pip looked up at him, then turned her attention to Kakashi, who just turned another page. Without even looking at Pip he said.

"You've gotten yourself into the Chuunin Exams, Pip. Have fun!" And with that he poofed away in a cloud of smoke. Leaving Pip all alone with her new team.

After some bouts of laughter, Tsubaki finally got the two boy to stop their... 'arguing'. Currently Pip was seated to the left of Tsubaki, Hideo was directly across from her, and Kon to Hideo's right. Tsubaki spoke first.

"WE have some time before the exams start. Why don't we talk a bit about ourselves. It's good to know each others strengths and weaknesses before we go into battle." Kon grunted and Hideo just nodded a light smile on his face. "Kon you first." Kon gave a little scoff but spoke anyway.

"Names Kon Ito. 15. I'm good at long range fighting and ninjustus. Suck at genjutsu. Decent with taijutsu." Kon went back to glaring at a spot on the wall. Tsubaki gave a little sigh and looked down at Pip.

"Sorry for his sour attitude. He's always been a bit of a grump." Tsubaki looked dramatically around before leaning down and whispering "He doesn't like the fact he's the youngest here." Kon's body stiffened. He pointed at Pip while shouting at his sensei.

"Don't tell her that! It's not true. Besides I bet shes younger then me! She was on a rookie team." Pip just raised an eyebrow, and was about to respond, but a better idea came along. She held he tongue.

"Fine, fine I'm sorry. Hideo, go on ahead." Hideo looked over to Pip and gave a soft smile.

"My name is Hideo Ito. I'm 16 years old. I'm good with genjutsu's and long range fighting, I'm okay with ninjustus, mostly simple healing techniques. My Taijustu isn't very god." Hideo looked down embarrassed.

Tsubaki smiled. "Don't be fooled be the gentle demeanor, he's a clever combatant." Pip smile and gave a nod. Tsubaki stretched. "I'll go next if you don't mind Pip."

"Go right ahead, Sir."

"First off it's Tsubaki. I don't' like sensei, or sir. It make me feel old." Kon muttered something but all Pip could make out was 'Ancient.' "I'm 27 years old and this is my second team. I'm pretty well rounded in all aspects of fighting, but I'm better with Ninjustus and strategy. Also I can out drink anyone at the table." Pip raised an eyebrow but smiled anyway. _'That's... not really a skill.'_

Tsubaki looked over to Pip expectantly. Pip smiled and looked at her new team.

"My name is Ainfean Begley Kearney, b-" Pip was cut off from Kon barking laughter.

"What kind of fucked up name is that?" He kept laughing as Pip just glared at him.

"I'm named after my dead Father." Kon's laughing dissipated as he heard Pip's words. When he looked back he flinched at her glare. He mutter an apology and went back to staring at the spot on the wall he was looking at earlier. Pip just sighed and picked up where she left off.

"No big deal, he's been gone a long time. Anyway you can call my Pip. I honestly have no skill in or with genjutsu, or Ninjutsu. In fact I can't preform a simple transformation." Kon looked like he was about to say something but he held his tongue for the moment.

"I'm pretty good at taijutsu and different sorts of weaponry. Most close to mid ranged." Pip smirked and looked at Kon. Sensing her stare, Kon turned to her.

"What?" Kon said demandingly. Pip's smirk just got wider.

"I'm seventeen." Kon's eyes widened. He just kept staring at her, his face turning more and more red.

"Well It's almost 3 o'clock. You all should be heading down the hall. Don't want to be late do you?" Tsubaki put a hand on Pip shoulder and looked over his team.

"I don't care if you pass or not. Just work together and come out alive." Hideo gave Tsubaki a look of pity, but nodded. Kon grunted a non-commitable response, and Pip just looked at her new sensei. He looked down at her. Instead of one side being serious, and the other being kind and happy. Both sides seemed somber and serious. It was more unnerving then the lopsided expressions.

Pip smirked.

"I don't plan on letting anyone die." Tsubaki smiled down at Pip, then disappeared, leaving

Pip with her new teammates.

Pip and her new team made their way into 301. As they walked in they received lots of glares from older, rugged looking ninjas. Pip just glared right back. Looking all around the room she caught a flash of orange and pink.

"You guys mind if I go see my old team. I bet their wondering where I went off to." Kon shrugged his shoulders while Hideo smile.

"Why don't we all say hi." Pip nodded at the suggestion and made their way through the crowd. As Pip walked over to Naruto, she heard a familiar voice

"-is shows how many applicants and from what countries are taking the exams this year." Pip felt a shudder go through her but she ignored it again.

"Hey guys!" Pip said smiling as the finally saw Kabuto, Naruto, and the rest of her friends.

Naruto perked up and hugged Pip around her waist.

"Where did you go?! You missed the Fight between Lee and Sasuke! Sasuke got his ass beat." At that comment Sasuke glared at Naruto but didn't say a word. Pip smiled.

"Kakashi took me to meat with my new team. Some people didn't like the odds of a four man squad so they put on another team last minute. Everyone this is my team Hideo and Kon." Kon just grunted, and Hideo gave a sweet smile and a small wave.

"Pip, It's good to see you again. I been looking all around for you but It seems like you're always so busy." Kabuto stood and smiled at Pip. Pip fought against the urge to hiss at him.

"Well you know, I'm starting late as a ninja so I need all the practice I can get." Kon's head swiveled rapidly to look at Pip.

"What do you mean starting late? You're seventeen!" Pip sighed. She was hoping to save that tidbit of information for later.

"Well you see I haven't been a ninja for long, I'm not even from Konoha. This is sorta of like probation." Kon deadpanned.

"Probation! What are you some kind of fugitive?!" Pip sighed as Kon began throwing accusations around wildly. To Pip's surprise it was Kabuto who spoke up.

"Kon please don't shout. If Pip was some sort of enemy she would have made some kind of move by now. She's been training the Hokage personally, and if she wanted He would've been dead by now." Pip looked incredulously at Kabuto, but gave him a smile of appreciation.

Kon just huffed and crossed his arms.

"Whatever. I'm going to go sit with Roku's team. Hideo, lets go." Hideo looked over to Pip, who just waved her hand for him to smile, a look saying _'It's okay.'_ Sighing with relief he ran to catch up with what Pip assumed was his brother.

"What an ass." Pip heard Naruto mutter. She just laughed. It was then that Pip heard a familiar sound. A little Zip-squeal sounded behind Pip. Looking around she caught a flash of grey and black running between a group of older looking ninjas. With out even thinking she began to follow the zipping noise and the few flashes of colour.

Pip almost knocked a few ninjas down in her pursuit but it didn't cross her mind until she finally found her target.

"Chozu!" Said raccoon looked up and made an excited squeal. It bounded over towards Pip scrambling up her leg to settle on her shoulders. It began to nuzzle her face.

"You little furry bastard! I was worried about you. Why would you run off like that! Wh-... Oh god." Pip grabbed the little raccoon from her shoulder and held him in front of her face. "I'm scolding a raccoon... That's it. This fucking place has officially drove me off the deep end." Pip hung her head low, as Chozu gave a little mewl like sound. He patted her head and squirmed his way out of her grasp. Landing on he floor easily.

"Where were you anyway?" Pip asked. Running a hand through her hair. Chozu straitened up a bit the went bounding off in the direction he was before, just slow enough for Pip to follow.

Chozu finally stopped in front of a few ninjas. Pip recognized them as the three sand ninjas she encountered before.

"Oh, hey guys" They just gave her a glare. Pip felt a little discouraged around them. Chozu gave a little grunt and bounded his way towards the redhead in the center of the group. He began to fiddled with his bandana until he produced another one of his berries. Gaara stared at the berry then surprisingly he bent down and accepted the it. Chozu made another one of his zip squeals, and began to run around Gaara excitedly before coming back to Pip and sitting at her feet.

Pip looked at Gaara as he ate the berry. His teammates stared at him incredulously. The mere thought of him accepting anything... from anyone with no question a bit disturbing. What they saw next almost sent them catatonic.

"This is... Your raccoon." Gaara stated more the asked, staring blankly at Pip. Pip tilted her head and looked down at Chozu. Chozu looked up and gave what some could consider akin to a grin.

"Yeah. The little rascal here is my raccoon." Gaara stared at the raccoon before looking back at Pip.

"Let him out at night. He is nocturnal." And with that Gaara turned to walk away. His flabbergasted teammates looking at him. Still in a daze that he even spoke to someone. When Gaara turned back he had a deadly glare directed towards Kankuro and Temari, who both seemed to physically jump out of their daze and follow after him.

Kankuro spared a look back at Pip and Chozu. Pip just waved goodbye before walking off, starting her scolding towards Chozu again, who merely sat limp on her shoulders. Kankuro shook his head as he looked back. _'She's going to die...'_

As Pip made her way back to her back to where Naruto and the the rest of the rookies were, she spotted Hideo and Kon sitting with another older looking group of Konoha ninjas. She made her way towards them and was greeted by Hideo.

"Looks like you found your raccoon." Hideo said as he reached out to pet Chozu. Chozu accepted the petting happily, giving off a slight pur as he did so.

"Yeah I did. And he is in soooo much trouble." Chozu's ears flattened as he hung limp again over Pip's shoulder.

"Seems like he knows it too." A boy with blue hair said as he nudged Pip in the rib playfully. "Names Roku. Kon and Hideo have told us a little about you." Pip was about to answer when Chozu began growling. Just as Pip began to look around a looked boom and huge cloud of smoke invaded the room. Suddenly an extremely familiar voice resounded all around the room.

"Silence!" As the smoke cleared there stood Ibiki, surrounded by a large group of jounins. Pip smiled as she saw him while Chozu growled a little louder.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Ibiki Morino, Ill be you first proctor in the Chuunin Exams." Pip smile broadened. As she looked back at her new team, they looked to her. Kon had a smirk on his face. And Hideo smiled meekly back, a very light tint to his cheeks.

"Who's ready to kick some ass?" Pip asked holding out her first to her new team.

Kon held his out to her and Hideo raised his with out hesitation. They fist bumped each other, looking from on to the other.

They were ready.

**Yaaaaay! Finally got it out after months of writers block and rewrites. I know this isnt perfect, but hey I finally got my drive to write sorta back. As per usual, feedback is important to me, so pm me with suggestions or critiques. They are ALWAYS welcome. I appreciate you all sticking with me in my long absences.**


	8. In an Instant

_In an Instant_

Pip wanted to bang her head against her desk repeatedly. She had spent her time training physically. Pushing herself past the point of exhaustion. She had the bruises, aches and pains, and sleepless night to prove it... So where did this fucking exam get off by throwing her a written exam. Don't be confused, she was a smart girl. Above average grades in high school, a knack for music and cooking. Handy with tools, and very well read. But of all the things these damn ninjas had thrown at her, they had to do math. And not just any math. The kind of math engineers and rocket scientist must be using back home. Math was not her subject. Pip actually went through several tutoring classes just to pass each year. Math really was her bane.

And now she was going to fail before she even started. Ruining her new teammates chances of actually proceeding to the second part of this Gods forsaken ninja test. It was like this test was meant to make you fail. Like there was no way you could actually pass this test. No way except...

And that's when Pip actually did bang her head against her desk. Causing the two ninja beside her to jump at the sudden bang, and Ibiki to smirk up the rows at the odd little ginger. She banged her head again and began to chuckle to herself, making some of the other examinees to question her sanity. _"Why is nothing straightforward with ninjas?"_. It hit Pip harder then her head against the wood in front of her. You were _suppose_ to cheat. Ibiki even hinted at cheating, though it was more of a warning. Looking around Pip could see a few people trying to put their skills to the test. And poor Naruto just sitting there sweating bullets and twitching in his seat. Some people had already been called out, and failed for being to obvious, but there were still a few who were making it.

But what was Pip suppose to do, she had no special powers to help her. And it's not like Chozu...

"Psst, Chozu."Pip breathed out, trying to stay as quiet as possible. Her fuzzy fiend cocked his head towards her in acknowledgment. "You wouldn't happen to be a math genius would you." The raccoon responded by sniffing, and returning back to his curled position, making Pip sigh to herself. _"Oh well... it was worth a shot. At least I know what to do next exam..."_ Pip hated to give up so easily but there was no possible way for her to cheat without being caught. Even if she did send Chozu around to look at answers, he'd be to obvious to the overseers. So Pip did what she normally did when she was in math class.

She doodled in all the blank spaces.

It wasn't like she could do anything else. There was still a lot of time left in the test and she wasn't going pass so may as well entertain herself. She started to draw a simplistic version of Ibiki running with a look of horror and anger across his face, with a significantly larger Chozu chasing after him, throwing little berries projectiles with a shit eating grin.

In the next margin she started working on a picture of her grandfather in a mad hatter-esque outfit, surround by little tea glasses and newspapers. A serene look on his face, but a thought bubble filled with epitaphs.

In the next she began to draw dark edged eyes, and just as she began to work on the pupils her own eyes began to sting. Pip brush her eyes, but the gritting feeling wouldn't go away. Tossing her head back Pip began to blink furiously until she noticed something odd. Little specks of sand, floating in the air as if they were dust moats. They weren't terribly noticeable until Pip began to look up. They seemed to merge into a floating eye. Cocking an eyebrow, Pip gave a little wave to the eye, which narrowed in return. Chozu lazily looked up, and gave a little chirp-growl. The eye twisted slightly in the air looking at Chozu before returning its gaze to the ginger.

Shrugging, Pip went back to drawing, this time drawing her family crest, storm clouds furling around and behind the badge. Pip's eyes began to get irritated again, and as she was rubbing them, she noticed the eye had swung closer now, examining her sketches. Pip went over in the margin and wrote a little 'Hi?'. She stared at the sand eye, as it glanced at the paper, then back at her.

It narrowed itself again, in what seemed a glare, before it hovered up and away. Raising her brow once more, Pip shrugged and went back to drawing once more. Ten minutes later and Pip had covered all the margin on the first paper. Checking the back to see nothing but blank space. She tried to think of something to draw but nothing came to mind.

"Chozu," Pip whispered earning the racoons gaze. She placed the pencil in front of the raccoon and lyed her head on the desk. "I'm bored." she whined in a soft voice. The raccoon looked at the pencil, and picked it up awkwardly in both his hands. He bit it a few times, and after determining it was not a snack began to scribble on the paper. Pip watched lazily before her gaze wandered.

She spotting Naruto, in what looked to be a nervous meltdown, Kabuto, who looked smug, and a certain redhead, one eye covered with his hand before she fell asleep. When she woke, it was to a yelling voice.

"NO WAY! I CAME THIS FAR AND IM NOT QUITTING NOW!" Naruto was standing at his seat, glaring at Ibiki. The proctors face was hard, then what seemed to be an eternity later.

"Then... You all pass." Audible gasps were heard through out the room. Lifting her head, and wiping the thin stream of drool of her chin, Pip noticed the room was much emptier the before. Chozu wasn't on the desk anymore and neither was the pencil. Looking down in a sleepy haze, there was a mess of scribbles and lines on the paper, as well as a piece of broken lead. Looking around, and generally ignoring Ibiki, Pip began to search for her companion, until breaking glass broke her concentration. A huge banner slung across the room as a women and a very well placed yellow trench coat grinned at the testers.

"Alright maggots! I'm Anko, and get ready for hell, cause I'm, wow Ibiki, you let a lot of the pass. You must be getting soft on us." The women. Anko glanced behind her as a muffled, 'you're early' sounded from behind the banner.

"Alight! Get you're asses out of here and to the training field. I'll be seeing you soon." and in traditional ninja style, she disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a room of relieved ninja. Pip stood and stretched, looking for any flash of grey and black, and soon found it by the red head  
Gaara.

Kon and Hideo were congratulating each other, and Hinata was doing the same to a physically relieved Naruto. Pip walked over to the red head and leaned on the desk beside him. If he noticed her, he gave no hint to it. He merely stared at Chozu, who was drawing on the red heads test, scribbling all over the written answers, until the lead broke off the pencil, after a particularly dark line. Chozu whimpered before throwing the pencil down in a huff, and produced a berry all his own.

"You know," Pip started not taking her eyes off the somber munching fiend. "I have no idea where he keeps those berries, or how they stay in place." Gaara made no effort to talk back, just narrowed his as she she spoke.

"But hey at least they make him happy." Gaara's eye narrowed to slits as she reached down to pick up her friend.

"Happy?" he echoed. Eyes not moving from the spot Chozu had just been in.

"Yeah, I mean, you got to enjoy the little things in life right? The little things that make you happy." Pip looked over to the red head as she set her Raccoon on her shoulder, where Chozu just sat limp, like a rag doll. Gaara turned his murderous gaze to Pip, she felt a tremor down her spine but stood her ground. Gaara stood as his siblings gathered behind him near the door, watching the two converse, fear rising in their stomachs at what he might do.

"You're raccooon." The sand ninja stated again, "is hungry." and with a final glare to the red head turned and walked a way. His siblings following a safe distance.

Pip looked to Chozu, "Are you hungry?" the raccoons stomach churned in response and Pip snorted to herself. "alright, but we need to conserve this I don't know how lo-" As pips hand reached her pocket all that was in it was a nub, pulling it out, Pip stared at the end of a carrot.

"You little shit!" Chozu gave a little whine as his stomach growled again.

.

.

.

I'm sorry for such a long absence. As an adult with a job and bills to pay, life really hasn't left me with time or the drive to write. I wont lie, its been so long since I've read or watched the show I cant honestly remember what excellently happens in the trials. Just the vague story. And honestly I don't know if I will continue with this one either. I remember where I wanted to go with this. And how I wanted it to go, but as a 21 year old, it seems a bit awkward to write about a 13 year old red head. I feel like mi letting you guys down, but fan fiction was an esacoefrom a really shitting life of abuse and depression. Now that im older I live a beautiful life, almost free of stress and a great job.

I'll see what I can do but I wont make promises. If I do decide to scrap this story, I'll at least give you the run down of how I wanted it to go to make up for an unfinished story.

I am sorry. But I'll try.

S742


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